Complicated spontaneous pneumoparotid mimicking a neck mass in a child with Down’s syndrome

Abstract

Spontaneous or self-induced pneumoparotid, which usually manifests as acute unilateral gland enlargement, is caused by insufflation of air from the oral cavity via Stensen’s duct. A 9-year-old patient, with known Down’s syndrome, presented with a progressively enlarging, painless, spontaneous, left neck mass. Computed tomography showed features consistent with pneumoparotid, without underlying associated pathology. Identification of true cases of spontaneous pneumoparotid is crucial, as these require a holistic management approach to prevent recurrence and complications.

Keywords

• pneumoparotid
• spontaneous
• self-induced pneumoparotid
• stensen’s duct
• paediatric population