Has anyone known any swimmers with this condition? A friend of mine's 10 year old is currently in the hospital with this. He was told it's a common thing in swimmers (?). I've never even heard of it after 40 years of swimming involvement. He told his mom he felt a pop in his chest at practice the night before last but kept going. I don't know what they were doing but the Valsalva Maneuver seems to be something that can precipitate this occurrence. Wondering if this is also a danger of hypoxic training (though that may or may not be what he was doing at the time). Anyone heard of this?
Subcutaneous emphysema -- air under the skin -- does happen during severe asthma exacerbations with some decent frequency. It usually represents the condition known as pneumomediastinum and is usually not, surprisingly, much to worry about. Usually a little bubble on the lung has popped and the air gets reabsorbed and its all pretty fine.
Sub Q air can also be a manifestation of esophageal or tracheal injury. Both are much more serious and much rarer. I have never seen a tracheal tear or anything like it from an activity like swimming -- usually trauma or surgery is the cause -- and Pubmed lists nothing like it. I am a pediatric pulmonologist so its pretty reasonable to think I would have bumped into it by now.
Thanks, Pendaluft. I think this child had some bronchitis at some point recently - wonder if that made a difference. Anyway, I just thought it was strange that the ER person mentioned swimming being a common cause... I'm not alone!
I'm going to take it, by the lack of replies, that no one else has ever heard of this either. I thought it was curious that the ER doctor seemed to indicate it's a common thing in swimmers (even Googling doesn't bring up competitive swimming - one link on a synchronized swimmer). The child is doing well but having to stay in the hospital at least a couple more days.
