Surgical emphysema: a rare complication of a simple surgical dental extraction without the use of an air-driven rotor

This case report is one of cervicofacial surgical emphysema after a simple surgical extraction of a lower left six (LL6) under local anaesthetic. There was no use of a high-speed air rotor, and the most likely cause is an increase in intra-oral air pressure during a football training session two hours post-surgery. Our search of the literature yielded very few previously published reports of extensive emphysema without the use of equipment using pressurized air.

Surgical emphysema is a rare complication of many dental procedures, however, it can have serious and even life-threatening effects if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Potential spread of microbes such as staphloccocus, streptoccocal and anaerobes into tissue spaces is the cause of many complications. Most reported cases associated with dental procedures come from the use of air rotors or air syringes as reported by Heyman and Babayof¹ and McKenzie and Rosenberg² in systematic reviews. There have been few reported cases of surgical emphysema post-extraction when there has not been the use of air rotors during the removal.