Clinically significant pulmonary barotrauma after inflation of party balloons

Abstract

A 24 year old previously healthy, non-smoker presented with a 48 hour history of a sensation of crackling under the skin. His symptoms were initially confined to the neck but within 24 hours had affected his chest wall, trunk, and legs. The next day he developed retrosternal pleuritic chest pain and attended the accident and emergency department. He reported that 24 hours before the onset of symptoms he had inflated about 20 party balloons over one hour. He had not experienced chest pain or shortness of breath at the time or immediately afterwards. …