Pneumomediastinum, Pneumothorax, and Subcutaneous Emphysema in COVID-19 Patients: A Monocentric Cohort Study

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease due to SARS-CoV-2, which quickly evolved into a pandemic and caused >6.62 million deaths worldwide (November 2022) according to the World Health Organization. 1 Mortality is associated with pulmonary complications and multiple-organ failure. Respiratory complications of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 are various and represented bypulmonary superinfection, 2 [COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS), 3 pulmonary fibrosis, 4 pulmonary embolism, PMD, PNO, and SCE]. Pathophysiology of PMD is complex and multifactorial, in which diffuse alveolar damage is implicated; 3-5,2 these lung injuries are associated with micro thrombosis and endothelial dysfunction due to-edema, epithelial damage, and capillaritis/endothelialitis. 2 All of these abnormalities will generate a cytokine storm syndrome, 3 endothelial and vascular damage leading to coagulopathy and multiple-organ failure. he aim of our study is to describe and analyze all aspects of COVID-19 patients who have developed one or more of the three complications-PMD, PNO, and SCE.