Citation

Seaman ME. J. Emerg. Med. 1990; 8(2): 141-149.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Valley Medical Center, Fresno, California 93702.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2362115

Abstract

Three patients are described who developed either pneumomediastinum or "clicking pneumothorax" after abusing illicit drugs. In recent years, patients presenting with pneumomediastinum after abusing cocaine have been frequently reported; these patients are most commonly young males with pleuritic chest pain. Seventy-three percent have detectable subcutaneous emphysema and fifty percent have a Hamman's sign. The pathophysiology, presenting features, and treatment of patients with barotrauma related to inhalational drug abuse are reviewed.

Language: en