Pneumoscrotum: Case Series & Literature Review

Pravin Shinde; Rajiv Karvande; Vaishnavi Chakravarthy; Aarsh Gajjar

doi:10.18502/crcp.v8i2.13558

Pravin Shinde Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Rajiv Karvande Professor, Department of General Surgery, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Vaishnavi Chakravarthy Senior Resident, Department of General Surgery, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Aarsh Gajjar Undergraduate Student, Seth GSMC and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/crcp.v8i2.13558

Keywords: Pneumoscrotum; Scrotal emphysema; Pneumatocele; Subcutaneous emphysema; Fournier’s gangrene

Abstract

Pneumoscrotum is the terminology used to describe the presence of air in the scrotal wall or within the tunica vaginalis. Etiology of pneumoscrotum is varied, ranging from idiopathic to Fournier’s gangrene or perforated bowel leading to significant morbidity and mortality. This paper reviews the existing literature on pneumoscrotum whilst documenting our experience with the same. Diagnosis is dependent on the patient’s anamnesis, clinical signs and imaging. We are presenting a case series of three such cases and a review of the existing literature on the same. The first case is a victim of a road traffic accident who subsequently presented with diffuse subcutaneous emphysema involving the scrotum. The second case is of Fournier’s gangrene with pneumoscrotum. The third case presented with a spontaneous isolated pneumoscrotum without any cause. Imaging such as Contrast-Enhanced CT and USG may be done to help narrow the differentials.