Abstract
An analysis of the clinical records and chest radiographs of seventeen children with subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema (SCME) complicating childhood measles was made. The commonest sites of extra-alveolar air were the retrosternal space (16/17) and paraspinal (12/17). Other areas were within the inferior pulmonary ligament (7/17) and subpulmonary areas (6/17). All patients had pulmonary infiltrates. There was pneumothorax in 30% of cases. Eighty per cent of children showed subcutaneous emphysema in addition to mediastinal emphysema. There was a mortality of 12%. SCME completely resolved within 14 days in the remaining patients.
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Odita, J.C., Akamaguna, A.I. Mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema associated with childhood measles. Eur J Pediatr 142, 33–36 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00442587
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00442587