Abstract
Subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinitis are rarely reported as complications of tonsillectomy. A 18-year-old male with a long history of recurrent chronic tonsillitis received a tonsillectomy. About 3 hours after surgery, the patient complained of swelling of the left side of the face and neck. There was crepitus and local tenderness in the left side of the neck. CT-scan revealed subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinitis. Although we could not determine the cause of the emphysema, we suspected it occurred as a direct result of surgical trauma.
