Postpartum Amniotic Fluid Embolism with Hamman’s Syndrome: A Rare Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Background: In medicine, Pneumomediastinum (PM) refers to the presence of free air in the mediastinal cavity. Typically, trauma and other serious chronic lung disorders are the most prevalent causes of PM. It is estimated that Hamman’s syndrome, spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, occurs in approximately 1 in 100,000 live births and is highly associated with prolonged labor time. Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare obstetric emergency characterized by severe hypotension, hypoxia, and coagulopathy and it is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality during labor or shortly after delivery. There are several case reports which described Hamman’s syndrome during or after delivery and AFE during and after labor separately, but we did not find any case in the literature which AFE and Hamman’s syndrome simultaneously occur in the same patient. Case report: In the presenting case report, we described a 26-year-old female patient who suddenly developed shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough after normal vaginal delivery. She was diagnosed with AFE with Hamman’s syndrome and was treated with conservative management. After one week of hospitalization, the patient was discharged in good health. Conclusion: AFE is a potentially high mortality condition, but with early diagnosis and management the outcome of the mother can be improved.