In simple words: Interstitial emphysema is a lung problem where air gets trapped in the lung tissue outside the normal air sacs. This usually happens in premature babies or people with serious lung injuries, often due to being on a breathing machine.

Interstitial emphysema is a condition characterized by the presence of air within the interstitial tissues of the lungs, the supporting structures outside the normal air passages (alveoli and bronchioles). This can occur due to alveolar rupture, especially in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome or in individuals with severe lung injury, often related to mechanical ventilation.It can lead to complications like pneumothorax and lung collapse.

Example 1: A premature infant on mechanical ventilation develops worsening respiratory distress and imaging reveals air in the lung interstitium, consistent with interstitial emphysema., An adult with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to pneumonia develops interstitial emphysema as a complication of mechanical ventilation., A newborn with meconium aspiration syndrome exhibits rapid breathing and decreased oxygen levels, and is diagnosed with interstitial emphysema.

Documentation should include details of the underlying cause (e.g., prematurity, mechanical ventilation, lung injury), imaging findings confirming the presence of air in the interstitium, clinical presentation (e.g., respiratory distress, cyanosis), and any associated complications (e.g., pneumothorax).