Hamman syndrome
Updates to Article Attributes
Hamman's syndrome, (or Macklin´s syndrome), refers to spontaneous pneumomediastinum along with subcutaneous emphysema.
Epidemiology
It is a rare entity most often encountered in young adults. It is a known entity peri- and postpartum 3.
Clinical presentation
The condition is most commonly asymptomatic. Presenting symptoms can include:
- non-specific chest pain
- dyspnea
- dysphonia and
- subfebrile temperature
Interestingly, possible signs on clinical examination contain Hamman´s sign, a pulse-synchronous rasping sound which is believed to be caused by pneumopericardium.
Pathology
Most commonly idiopathic (i.e. of cryptogenic) nature. Pathomechanism is barotrauma (see main article: Macklin effect). This accounts for the association of asthma and the peripartum period causing increased intrathoracic pressures.
Radiographic features
See main article: pneumomediastinum. In rare cases, pneumorrhachis may be encountered.
History and etymology
The syndrome is named after clinician Louis Virgil Hamman (1877–1946-1946), who described it in 1939 1.
Differential diagnosis
It has to be distinguished from more sinister pathology or entities, e.g. Boerhaave syndrome, as the clinical course of Hamman´s syndrome is usually benign and self-limiting, and as such management is often conservative 3.
See also
-<p><strong>Hamman's syndrome</strong>, (or <strong>Macklin´s syndrome</strong>), refers to spontaneous <a href="/articles/pneumomediastinum">pneumomediastinum</a> along with <a href="/articles/subcutaneous-emphysema">subcutaneous emphysema</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>It is a rare entity most often encountered in young adults. It is a known entity peri- and postpartum <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>The condition is most commonly asymptomatic. Presenting symptoms can include:</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Hamman syndrome</strong>, (or <strong>Macklin syndrome</strong>), refers to spontaneous <a href="/articles/pneumomediastinum">pneumomediastinum</a> along with <a href="/articles/subcutaneous-emphysema">subcutaneous emphysema</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>It is a rare entity most often encountered in young adults. It is a known entity peri- and postpartum <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>The condition is most commonly asymptomatic. Presenting symptoms can include:</p><ul>
-</ul><p>Interestingly, possible signs on clinical examination contain <strong>Hamman´s sign</strong>, a pulse-synchronous rasping sound which is believed to be caused by <a href="/articles/pneumopericardium">pneumopericardium</a>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Most commonly idiopathic (i.e. of cryptogenic) nature. Pathomechanism is barotrauma (see main article: <a href="/articles/the-macklin-effect-pulmonary-interstitial-emphysema-and-pneumomediastinum-1">Macklin effect</a>). This accounts for the association of asthma and the peripartum period causing increased intrathoracic pressures.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>See main article: <a href="/articles/pneumomediastinum">pneumomediastinum</a>. In rare cases, <a href="/articles/pneumorrhachis">pneumorrhachis</a> may be encountered.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>The syndrome is named after clinician <strong>Louis Virgil Hamman </strong>(1877–1946), who described it in 1939 <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>It has to be distinguished from more sinister pathology or entities e.g. Boerhaave syndrome, as the clinical course of Hamman´s syndrome is usually benign and self-limiting, and as such management is often conservative <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul>- +</ul><p>Interestingly, possible signs on clinical examination contain Hamman sign, a pulse-synchronous rasping sound which is believed to be caused by <a href="/articles/pneumopericardium">pneumopericardium</a>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Most commonly idiopathic (i.e. cryptogenic) nature. Pathomechanism is barotrauma (see main article: <a href="/articles/the-macklin-effect-pulmonary-interstitial-emphysema-and-pneumomediastinum-1">Macklin effect</a>). This accounts for the association of asthma and the peripartum period causing increased intrathoracic pressures.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>See main article: <a href="/articles/pneumomediastinum">pneumomediastinum</a>. In rare cases, <a href="/articles/pneumorrhachis">pneumorrhachis</a> may be encountered.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>The syndrome is named after clinician <strong>Louis Virgil Hamman </strong>(1877-1946), who described it in 1939 <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>It has to be distinguished from more sinister pathology or entities, e.g. Boerhaave syndrome, as the clinical course of Hamman syndrome is usually benign and self-limiting, and as such management is often conservative <sup>3</sup>.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul>