Pneumomediastinum in a child with severe COVID-19
Anne G Carroll1, Nuala Quinn2, Carl Byrne3
1Department of Radiology, Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street, Dublin, Ireland.
Insights
This case study highlights a rare instance of a pediatric patient with medulloblastoma who contracted SARS-CoV-2. The child experienced severe complications, including pneumomediastinum, emphasizing the need for more pediatric COVID-19 research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
Background:
- The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, primarily affects adults, with limited data on pediatric cases.
- Understanding the clinical and radiological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 in children is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- A previously healthy 9-year-old female presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.
- Computed Tomography (CT) revealed a medulloblastoma; she later tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 post-operatively.
- The patient experienced rapid clinical deterioration, requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
Findings:
- This case presents the first reported instance of a pediatric medulloblastoma patient with SARS-CoV-2.
- Radiological findings and clinical course demonstrated severe disease progression.
- Unusual complications, including pneumomediastinum, were observed during her illness.
Implications:
- This case underscores the variability of SARS-CoV-2 presentation in children.
- Highlights the importance of considering co-infections or complications in pediatric patients with underlying conditions.
- Emphasizes the need for further research into pediatric COVID-19, particularly in immunocompromised or critically ill children.
Abstract:
The current global pandemic of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 is a threat to the health and lives of millions of people worldwide. The latest statistics from the World Health Organisation show that there have been 6,515,796 confirmed cases worldwide with 387,298 confirmed deaths (last update 5 June 2020, 10:41 CEST). The majority of critically unwell patients with SARS-CoV2 are adults and the radiological findings associated with them are consistent throughout the literature. However, the reported paediatric cases are few, and as such, there is a limited body of evidence available. More international data is needed, not only on the clinical presentation, but also the radiological findings, so that health-care providers are better able to understand and diagnose this pandemic disease. We describe a case of a previously healthy 9-year-old female who presented to the Emergency Department with symptoms suggestive of raised intracranial pressure. Her CT revealed a medulloblastoma and post-operatively she tested positive for SARS-CoV2. She had a rapid deterioration in her clinical condition and required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). We provide the supporting radiology along her clinical course in order to demonstrate important insights into this disease in children, including the unusual pnemomediastinum complications which occurred as part of her clinical course. This case is the first reported of its kind.
More Related Videos
06:15Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
08:05Lung CT Segmentation to Identify Consolidations and Ground Glass Areas for Quantitative Assesment of SARS-CoV Pneumonia
Published on: December 19, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:27Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
01:26Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
01:30Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment
01:17Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...