Claydon M
Hamman’s syndrome is the development of pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema and can result from the forced Valsalva manoeuvre in labour. Here I present a two cases of primiparous women who both developed Hamman’s syndrome with their first deliveries and follow them through to their second deliveries. Both women received antenatal care and postnatal care at the same level 4 suburban maternity care unit. They were treated conservatively and recovered spontaneously. No recurrence of the condition was observed following subsequent deliveries. Only limited cases have been reported of Hamman’s syndrome. In the absence of haemodynamic instability or more serious disease the recommended treatment approach is conservative.
