Pneumomediastinum following blowout fracture of the medial orbital wall : a case report

An unusual case of cervical emphysema and pneumomediastinum following a blowout fracture of the medial orbital wall is presented. Severe pulmonary distress did not occur, and the trapped air rapidly absorbed. The source of the emphysema and its progression is discussed considering the anatomic relations of the facial and cervical subcutaneous space and the mediastinum. To our knowledge, this complication is rare and has been documented only once before in an isolated blowout fracture of the orbit.