Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Treatment Experiences of Pulmonary Barotrauma with a Fatal Case Report

Abstract

Wenbing Xu, Wei Zhang and Weigang Xu

Pulmonary barotrauma (PBT) is caused by overinflation of the lungs and the intrapulmonary gas enters into the surrounding tissues and blood vessels leading to mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax and Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism (CAGE). Due to its specific prerequisite conditions, PBT is rare in comparison with other traumas and most physicians are inexperienced in its treatment. In this report, a fatal case of PBT complicated by CAGE and pneumothorax was presented and some experiences in treatment were introduced.