A Rare Case of Peripartum Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum: Hamman’s Syndrome

Hamman’s syndrome is a rare condition with spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema that can be potentially life-threatening. Here we present a rare case of a 26-year-old primiparous woman who developed Hamman’s syndrome following uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal delivery. Post-delivery, she complained of chest tightness, swelling over the chest, neck, and face with a ‘popping noise’ to touch. On examination, she had evidence of subcutaneous emphysema. A chest x-ray (CXR) was done immediately, and pneumothorax was ruled out, but it had suspicious features of pneumomediastinum. The subsequent computed tomography (CT) chest confirmed the presence of pneumomediastinum. She was managed conservatively and had an uneventful recovery.