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RMU

Uruguayan Medical Journal

ISSN: 1688-0390

Vol.23 - Nº 4 - Dic. 2007

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Spontaneous pneumomediastinum as a complication of inhalant drug use

LÓPEZ PENZA P; ODRIOZOLA M; RUSO L
Rev Med Urug 2007; 23: 260-264
Full text (spanish) |  Full text (spanish) (New windows, pdf) | Abstract

Abstract

Pneumomediastinum was described by Hamman in 1939, and it was Macklin who delineated the pathogenesis in 1944 (1) . It is a condition in which air is present in the mediastinum, and we say it is spontaneous when it is presented in the absence of other associated pathologies. It is a benign condition, infrequent, a self-limiting disease that may be associated with pneumothorax. In this study we present two cases of spontaneous pneumomediasti num, without pneumothorax, which highlight the concomi tance of cocaine and cocaine base paste inhalation.