Pulmonary interstitial emphysema in an adult with metastatic choriocarcinoma

Although typically seen in neonates, barotrauma is a well-established complication of mechanical ventilation in other populations as well, particularly associated with the use of high peak pressures and continuous positive airway pressure. Complications range from subpleural bleb development to life-threatening pneumothorax. We report a case of barotrauma in an adult that initially presented as pulmonary interstitial emphysema; it was seen surrounding choriocarcinoma metastases during computed tomography evaluation for worsening respiratory distress.