Understanding Pneumomediastinum: When Air Escapes into Potential Spaces

YouTube LinkThe Invictus curriculum continues to expand with new lectures, emphasized content, transcripts, and multiple-choice questions, with Matt Delaney now helping with development. We explore pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium through a simple balloon analogy: two lungs squishing around the heart where air can leak into potential spaces, sometimes tracking into the neck or even dissecting into the pericardium.• Invictus curriculum growing with new features and comprehensive content for residents• Continuous board review is valuable throughout a medical career• Pneumomediastinum occurs when air leaks into the mediastinum from lungs, esophagus, or trachea• Air can track into subcutaneous tissues or dissect into the pericardium• Most pneumomediastinum cases need no treatment and resolve spontaneously• Tension pneumomediastinum or pneumopericardium may require intervention• Pneumopericardium can cause tamponade requiring drainage• Chris Riley demonstrates varying examples of pneumomediastinum on chest x-raysCheck out the full radiology x-ray fundamentals series on EM:RAP for more examples.