Self-Inflicted Abdominal Air Insufflation Leading to Diffuse Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumoperitoneum, Pneumomediastinum, Pneumopericardium, and Pneumothorax: A Case Report.

Subcutaneous emphysema is defined by air becoming confined in the soft tissues beneath the skin and it may occur following various surgical procedures and specific penetrating trauma. While treatment is typically conservative and not required in most cases, massive subcutaneous emphysema may cause significant morbidity and sometimes life-threatening complications such as tension pneumomediastinum and respiratory compromise. Notably, no instances of self-inflicted air insufflation into the abdominal cavity have been reported in the literature.