[Pneumomediastinum and bilateral tension pneumothorax as a complication of oxygen therapy using a nasal cannula]

[A rare complication of an internal jugular central venous catheter: pneumothorax, pneumo mediastinum and retro pneumoperitoneum and giant subcutaneous emphysema]

L'association: pneumothorax, pneumo médiastin, retro pneumopéritoine et emphysème sous cutané est connue de longue date comme complication de l'intubation et la ventilation mécanique, de l'endoscopie digestive ou de la chirurgie laparoscopique. En dehors de ce contexte, elle demeure inhabituelle surtout dans le cadre de La pose de voies veineuses centrales puisque le risque encouru est celui d'une brèche pleurale avec pneumothorax, il est surtout lié à la mise en place d'un cathéter central sous-clavier plus que lors de la pose d'une voie centrale par voie jugulaire. Nous rapportons le cas d'une patiente qui a souffert d'un pneumothorax associé à, un pneumo médiastin, un rétro pneumopéritoine et un emphysème sous cutané géant, suite à une tentative de catéthérisation de la veine jugulaire interne par voie postérieure. L'intérêt de cette observation réside dans la rareté exceptionnelle de cette association chez une patiente en ventilation spontanée et dans le mécanisme physiopathologique qu'elle suggère.

[High flow, humidified-reheated oxygen therapy: a new oxygenation technique for adults]

Currently conventional oxygen therapy is the first choice symptomatic treatment in the management of acute respiratory failure (ARF). However, conventional oxygen therapy has important limitations which have lead to the development of heated and humidified high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNO). HFNO is an innovative technique that can deliver, through special nasal cannulae, up to 100% of the inspired fraction (FiO2) with heated and humidified oxygen at a maximum flow of 70L/min. The characteristics of this technique (overcoming the patient's spontaneous inspiratory flow, heated humidification,) and its physiological effects (no dilution of FiO2, positive end-expiratory pressure, pharyngeal dead-space washout, decrease in airway resistance), allow efficient optimization of oxygenation with better tolerance for patients. Current data, mainly observational, show that HFNO could be used particularly for the management of hypoxemic ARF, notably in the more severe forms. Indications for using HFNO, alone or in association with noninvasive ventilation, are potentially very broad and may involve different types of ARF (post-operative, post-extubation, palliative care) and even the practice of invasive technical procedures (bronchial fibroscopy). However, though current studies are very encouraging and promise a clinical benefit on patient outcomes, randomized trials are still needed to demonstrate that HFNO avoids the need for endotracheal intubation in the management of ARF.

The air apparent: a rare complication during flexible bronchoscopy

Flexible bronchoscopy is a common and safe outpatient procedure, with complications arising in less than 1% of cases. The case presented herein details the occurrence of pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pneumoperitoneum, interstitial lung emphysema and subcutaneous emphysema during flexible bronchoscopy. Although these complications have been reported individually in various circumstances, they have not been reported concomitantly in this setting. Recovery was rapid and complete, requiring only supplemental oxygen and monitoring. After a literature and chart review, the authors postulate that the complications were not a direct result of bronchoscopy but rather the simple act of placing an oxygen delivery cannula in a patient with possible prior trauma to the site.