What is Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema?
Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema is a known, rare complication of both dental and surgical procedures. Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema arises when air is forced beneath the tissues, leading to swelling, crepitus on palpation, and the potential of the air to spread along the fascial planes.
How is subcutaneous facial emphysema treated?
It is important to differentiate subcutaneous emphysema between other similar conditions such as hematoma formation, allergic reactions, angioedema or facial swelling due to dental infection. Treatment usually consists of a course of antibiotics and a wait and see approach for the swelling to decrease.
What is air emphysema dental?
Subcutaneous facial emphysema (SFE) is a less frequently encountered complication of dental treatment where penetration of air into the subcutaneous tissues and fascial planes results in distension of the overlying skin.
Why does subcutaneous emphysema occur?
Subcutaneous emphysema is the medical term for air becoming trapped in tissues beneath the skin. The condition is rare, but it can occur as a result of trauma, injury, infection, or certain medical procedures.
What is the prevention of emphysema?
To prevent emphysema, don’t smoke and avoid breathing secondhand smoke. Wear a mask to protect your lungs if you work with chemical fumes or dust.
How do you identify subcutaneous emphysema?
Subcutaneous emphysema can often be seen as a smooth bulging of the skin. When a health care provider feels (palpates) the skin, it produces an unusual crackling sensation (crepitus) as the gas is pushed through the tissue.
How do you assess crepitus?
Crepitus can be assessed through a physical examination. The healthcare provider will palpate, or apply pressure to the affected area, and a crackling sound can sometimes be heard or felt. The diagnosis and treatment of crepitus is usually aimed at determining the underlying cause.
How do you prevent subcutaneous emphysema?
Several methods have been described in the literature for the treatment of extensive subcutaneous emphysema, including: emergency tracheostomy, multisite subcutaneous drainage, infraclavicular “blow holes” incisions and subcutaneous drains or simply increasing suction on an in situ chest drain.
What is the difference between pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum?
Pneumothorax is defined as air in the pleural space and is commonly seen after thoracic surgery. Pneumomediastinum is defined as air in the mediastinum and is quite rare. Despite their differences, the principles used to treat these two conditions are similar.
What is the Macklin effect?
The Macklin effect relates to a three-step pathophysiologic process: blunt traumatic alveolar ruptures, air dissection along bronchovascular sheaths, and spreading of this blunt pulmonary interstitial emphysema into the mediastinum.
What is the difference between COPD and emphysema?
The main difference between emphysema and COPD is that emphysema is a progressive lung disease caused by over-inflation of the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs), and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is an umbrella term used to describe a group of lung conditions (emphysema is one of them) which are …
What is a dental prophylaxis?
A dental prophylaxis is a dental procedure which is performed with the goal of reducing the risk of gum and tooth disease. Also known simply as a prophylaxis or prophy, this procedure is recommended at intervals which can vary from six months to two years, depending on a patient’s history.
What is crepitus and how is it treated?
Sometimes, that disk may not be big enough, or it may not be the right shape to allow the jaw bone to smoothly glide forward and down when you open your mouth. When this happens, it is a condition known as crepitus. Crepitus is a word that is used to describe the grating, crackling, and/or popping sounds that are heard around people’s joints.
What is an example of crepitus of the joints?
Crepitus of the Joints. Crepitus may occur in tandem with a joint disorder or entirely on its own. As a symptom, it is not inherently problematic. Cracking your knuckles, for example, is a form of crepitus wherein tiny nitrogen bubbles in a joint suddenly pop with strenuous movement.
What is localized crepitus in a fracture?
Localized crepitus is usually felt in a lesion at the musculotendinous junction of the tibialis anterior muscle. A fracture may crepitate when the limb is moved and the two ends of the fractured bone move against each other but, except in pathological fractures, an attempt to elicit crepitus usually causes so much pain that it should not be done.