[Pneumomediastinum with Chest Pain after Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Nephrectomy : A Case Report]

A 54-year-old woman underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy for a non-functional left kidney due to ureter stone in September 2022. She was operated without problems. Seven hours postoperatively, she complained of chest pain with a distressed facial expression. Electrocardiogram findings were negative for coronary artery disease, and echocardiography was negative for major pulmonary thromboembolism. Computed tomography showed emphysema and pneumomediastinum. The chest pain gradually resolved over time and was eventually diagnosed with pain due to pneumomediastinum. The subsequent clinical course was uneventful and she was discharged without complications on the 10th postoperative day.