A 15-year-old developed extensive air leaks after vaping and cannabis use
A 15-year-old with mild asthma developed subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and pneumorrhachis (air in the spinal canal) after vaping and cannabis inhalation, representing one of the youngest reported EVALI air leak cases.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
A 15-year-old male with mild asthma presented with acute respiratory distress, hypoxemia, and neck/face swelling after using vaping products and inhaling cannabis. Imaging confirmed widespread air leaks including subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and pneumorrhachis (air in the spinal canal) without esophageal perforation. Conservative management with oxygen, TPN, antibiotics, and supportive care led to full recovery.
Key Numbers
15-year-old male; mild asthma history; subcutaneous emphysema + pneumomediastinum + pneumorrhachis; full recovery with conservative management
How They Did This
Single case report with literature review. Targeted literature search identified several reports linking vaping to spontaneous air leak syndromes.
Why This Research Matters
This is one of the youngest reported cases of EVALI-associated air leak syndrome. As vaping prevalence rises sharply among adolescents, clinicians seeing chest pain and respiratory distress in young patients need to consider vaping-related complications in their differential diagnosis.
The Bigger Picture
The EVALI epidemic of 2019-2020 highlighted acute lung injuries from vaping, but air leak syndromes remain underrecognized as part of this spectrum. Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable due to ongoing lung development and higher rates of vaping initiation.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report cannot establish frequency or causation. Combined cannabis and vaping use makes it impossible to attribute the complication to one substance. Mild asthma may have been a contributing factor.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does asthma increase the risk of vaping-related air leak complications?
- ?Are adolescents more susceptible to these complications than adults?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- One of the youngest reported EVALI air leak cases
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report documents a rare complication in an age group where it is particularly underrecognized, but cannot establish incidence or risk factors.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication
- Original Title:
- Potential Association of Air Leak Syndromes With E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).
- Published In:
- Cureus, 17(9), e93395 (2025)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05935
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is pneumorrhachis?
Pneumorrhachis is the presence of air within the spinal canal. It is a rare and usually benign complication that can occur when air from pneumomediastinum tracks along tissue planes into the spinal canal.
Was this caused by cannabis or vaping?
The patient used both vaping products and cannabis inhalation, making it impossible to attribute the air leak to one substance. Both inhalation methods can potentially cause barotrauma-related complications.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05935APA
Anakebe, Chidi; Abdallah, Ragda; Abdalla, Mahil; Taha, Fatima; Khan, Haji Sheeraz. (2025). Potential Association of Air Leak Syndromes With E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).. Cureus, 17(9), e93395. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.93395
MLA
Anakebe, Chidi, et al. "Potential Association of Air Leak Syndromes With E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI).." Cureus, 2025. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.93395
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Potential Association of Air Leak Syndromes With E-cigarette..." RTHC-05935. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/anakebe-2025-potential-association-of-air
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.