Neonatal air leak

Leakage of gas from the alveoli into the body caused by various causes is called pulmonary air leak. Leaked gas can accumulate in the interstitial lung (interstitial emphysema), the pleural space (pneumothorax), the mediastinum (mediastinum emphysema), the pericardium (pericardial effusion), or spread to the abdominal cavity (pneumoperitoneum). The etiology is more complex and often multiple causes coexist. The incidence is about 1% to 2%.