Mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema associated with childhood measles

An analysis of the clinical records and chest radiographs of seventeen children with subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema (SCME) complicating childhood measles was made. The commonest sites of extra-alveolar air were the retrosternal space (16/17) and paraspinal (12/17). Other areas were within the inferior pulmonary ligament (7/17) and subpulmonary areas (6/17). All patients had pulmonary infiltrates. There was pneumothorax in 30% of cases. Eighty per cent of children showed subcutaneous emphysema in addition to mediastinal emphysema. There was a mortality of 12%. SCME completely resolved within 14 days in the remaining patients.