J Korean Assoc Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg.  2003 Jan;25(1):65-68.

Subcutaneous emphysema following extraction of maxillary third molar

• Lee ET
• Min SK
• Oh SH
• Lee DK

Abstract

Subcutaneous air emphysema is a relatively uncommon phenomenon. It has been reported in both the medical and dental literature following such various procedures as rectal biopsy, nasogastric intubation, radical neck dissection, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, root canal treatment, dental restoration and extraction of maxillary and mandibular teeth. The most common cause involves extraction of mandibular third Subcutaneous emphysema of the head, neck and thorax is a swelling caused by introduction of air into the space of the connective tissue. The clinical signs are local swelling, tenting of the skin, and crepitation on palpation. In extreme cases, air has been reported to pass through the masticatory space into the parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal space, and penetrate into the mediastinum. If the inflowing air contains bacteria, serious infection may ensue. The first case of subcutaneous emphysema associated with a dental procedure was first reported in 1900. This emphysema is a often limited only to the spaces of head and neck, but also can involve deeper structure. This case is diffuse subcutaneous emphysema following maxillary third molar extraction with a highspeed drill.

Keyword

Subcutaneous emphysema; Dental extraction

MeSH Terms

Adenoidectomy
Bacteria
Biopsy
Connective Tissue
Dental Pulp Cavity
Emphysema
Head
Intubation, Gastrointestinal
Mediastinum
Molar, Third*
Neck
Neck Dissection
Palpation
Skin
Subcutaneous Emphysema*
Thorax
Tonsillectomy
Tooth