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Scrotal emphysema in a burn injury patient

Case report and review of the literature

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Summary

A burn-injured 17-year-old boy suffered from an apical pneumothorax of the right side caused either by placement of a subclavian catheter or by the blast injury. Following this, he developed scrotal emphysema. Air extended along the subcutis of the lateral thoracic and abdominal wall through a lesion in the parietal pleura up to the inguinal canal to the scrotum caused by the positive pressure breathing. After cessation of the PEEP-breathing, there was no recurrence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery of the Medical School of Hannover, Podbielskistrasse 380, W-3000, Hannover 51, Germany

    W. Schneider, N. Pallua & A. Berger

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  1. W. Schneider
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  2. N. Pallua
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  3. A. Berger
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Schneider, W., Pallua, N. & Berger, A. Scrotal emphysema in a burn injury patient. Eur J Plast Surg 14, 144–146 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02341742

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02341742

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