An occult iatrogenic pneumothorax as a cosmetic procedure complication.

A pneumothorax is the abnormal gas accumulation within the pleural space. We present a case of a patient with an occult iatrogenic pneumothorax who presented with symptomatic anemia that substantially improved after a transfusion, diverting the clinical suspicion. As a result, she developed acute respiratory distress, initially considered secondary to a possible pulmonary embolism vs. fat embolism. After computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis, a chest tube was inserted. This case emphasizes the importance of suspecting pneumothorax secondary to cosmetic procedures and using computed tomography as the first diagnostic tool in complex cases since chest x-rays can miss pneumothorax.