嚥下で発症した特発性咽頭・頸部・縦隔気腫症例

A case of spontaneous pharyngeal, cervical and mediastinal emphysema after swallowing

はじめに

　唾液の嚥下で偶発症が生じることはほんとんどない。耳閉感を自覚した場合，この不快な症状を解消するために嚥下をする場合が多い^1）。今回，われわれは嚥下を繰り返したことにより，頭蓋底から縦隔にわたる広範囲の気腫が生じた稀有な症例を経験したので報告する。

　A 25-year-old male presented with sore throat, and bilateral ear fullness. After he repeated swallowing to resolve his ear fullness, he suffered from sore throat. Roentgenogram of the chest by family doctor demonstrated the shadow of mediastinal emphysema. CT showed emphysema extended from the skull base to mediastinum. The cause of his emphysema was considered as positive pressure in tracheal air way due to frequent swallowing. He received conservative treatments consisting of bed rest and antibiotic administration. On 8th day, emphysema disappeared on CT.