Table 1: Prevention strategies and differential diagnoses for subcutaneous emphysema.
| Differential diagnoses for perioperative hypercarbia | Preventive strategy |
| Spontaneous pneumothorax | 1- Detailed history and Pre-anesthetic check up 2- Preoperative pulmonary function test 3- Lung protective ventilatory strategy 4- Careful extubation |
| Acute respiratory failure | 1- Judicious use of opioids 2- Non opioid analgesia 3- Proper monitoring of respiratory mechanics |
| Intra peritoneal perforation | 1- Monitoring for clinical sign and symptom 2- Low threshold for suspicion |
| Pulmonary embolism | 1- Assessing risk factors in Pre-anesthetic checkup 2- Detailed history 3- Review of medical records 4- Close intraoperative monitoring |