Septic pulmonary embolism with spontaneous bilateral pneumothorax complicating facial cellulitis in an immunocompetent patient: a rare case report

Background: A 20-year-old previously healthy male presented with progressive left-sided facial cellulitis, followed by respiratory deterioration. Imaging revealed SPE with bilateral pneumothoraces, more pronounced on the left side, requiring bilateral chest tube insertion. Blood cultures confirmed Staphylococcus aureus, and targeted antibiotic therapy led to clinical improvement. The patient recovered fully following multidisciplinary management. Discussion: This case demonstrates a rare progression of facial cellulitis to SPE and bilateral pneumothorax in an immunocompetent adult without traditional risk factors. Conclusion: Clinicians should consider thoracic complications in cellulitis patients with respiratory symptoms. Early imaging, microbiological evaluation, and prompt multidisciplinary management are critical, especially in low-resource settings.