Laparoscopy-pneumothorax and ocular emphysema, a rare complication-a case report

Occurrence of Pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and ocular emphysema is very rare, but developed under General Anaesthesia (GA) immediately after insuflation. A defect in the diaphragm may be the cause. A female patient aged 21-years, with infertility was posted for diagnostic laparoscopy. The extravasation of carbon dioxide at the beginning of the diagnostic laparoscopy resulted in pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and ocular emphysema. It was assumed that the intraperitoneal carbon dioxide traversed into the mediastinum via a defect in the diaphragm which resolved after abdominal deflation & chest tube decompression.