Bilateral Pulmonary Edema Research Articles

Pulmonary Edema Secondary to Dynamic Tracheal Collapse

Severe pulmonary edema can be a complication of both intra- and extrathoracic airway obstructions. We describe a unique case of pulmonary edema following expiratory dynamic collapse of the trachea. An 80-year-old woman presented with orthopnea associated with a forcible dry cough for about a week. Physical examination revealed bilateral diffuse lung crepitations. Chest radiography demonstrated bilateral pulmonary edema. However, an echocardiogram demonstrated normal biventricular size and function. Spiral CT of the chest was negative for pulmonary embolism; however, it demonstrated expiratory collapse of the posterior tracheal wall. Dynamic CT of the trachea and bronchoscopy subsequently confirmed such findings. Different cough suppressants and diuretics were tried, but with limited improvement in the patient's respiratory status. A tracheal stent was placed to support the collapsed trachea. Both the clinical and radiologic manifestations of the postobstructive pulmonary edema resolved subsequently. Pulmonary function tests done before and 3 months after stent placement demonstrated an improvement in both FEV1 and FVC. There was no recurrence of patient symptoms 3 years later. Airway obstructions should be considered in the workup of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Tracheal stenting can be effective in the resolution of such edema in select patients.

Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury Following Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a clinical syndrome characterized by bilateral pulmonary edema in association with transfusions. We encountered a 23-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in whom TRALI without anti-human leukocyte antigen class I and anti-granulocyte antibodies developed following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. TRALI improved mainly in association with treatment of saline and ventilation support after several days, but graft-versus-host disease and thrombotic microangiopathy developed, resulting in death due to multiple organ failure. This case indicates that TRALI can also occur following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Acute Postoperative Pulmonary Edema without Reasonable Causes: A Case Report

This report concerns an unusual case of acute postoperative pulmonary edema without any apparent causes in a 45-year-old man. The patient was subjected to the removal of a previously placed device on the left tibia, and the excision of a benign mass on the right forearm. Unexpected acute bilateral pulmonary edema occurred immediately after the completion of the procedures. The etiologies were reviewed in relation to the patient's condition and clinical manifestations. Fluid overloading was excluded as a cause in view of the patient's perioperative state and postoperative chest X-ray results. We could not find any symptoms of upper airway obstruction during emergence from general anesthesia. We had doubts about tourniquet or fentanyl-induced pulmonary edema, but these factors were not sufficient to bring about pulmonary edema in this case. To our knowledge, the cause of acute pulmonary edema in this case is indeterminate.

抗ＨＬＡ抗体による輸血関連急性肺障害（Ｔｒａｎｓｆｕｓｉｏｎ‐Ｒｅｌａｔｅｄ Ａｃｕｔｅ Ｌｕｎｇ Ｉｎｊｕｒｙ， ＴＲＡＬＩ）を発症した胃癌合併骨髄異形成症候群

We report a case of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) most likely caused by anti-HLA antibody in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome and gastric cancer. The patient was a 76-year-old Japanese male diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and gastric cancer who required transfusion due to bleeding from the gastric cancer. Just after platelet transfusion, he felt dyspnea and chill, followed by an increase in body temperature to 39°C and a decrease in arterial oxygen saturation to 68%. Chest x-ray showed bilateral pulmonary edema, suggesting the development of TRALI. Platelet transfusion was stopped and oxygen therapy and steroid pulse therapy were started. The patient recovered in a few days. Anti-HLA class II antibodies were detected In the donor serum, and cross-match testing between donor serum and recipient lymphocytes was strongly positive. We assume that the cause of this case was an immune reaction through anti-HLA class II antibodies.

Lethal inhalation exposure during maintenance operation of a hydrogen fluoride liquefying tank

Calcium sulfate adheres to the inside of liquefying pipes during the production of liquefied hydrogen fluoride. It is regularly washed away with water jets every six months. Two days before the operation, the pipes were experimentally washed down with water and the safety of the operation was confirmed with acidic washing fluid (pH 5). A 65-year-old man was severely sprayed on his face just after the start of the operation. He died half an hour later from acute respiratory failure. High serum concentrations of ionized fluoride indicated massive exposure to hydrofluoric acid (HFA). Pathological findings revealed severe bilateral pulmonary congestion and edema. It was hypothesized that calcium sulfate hardened with the water during the experimental washing and caused some blockages in the pipes. Consequently, choking of the pipes caused the HFA to collect and the washing fluid ran back. Weak HFA is not pungent to skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, it was suggested that a low concentration of HFA was inhaled directly into the peripheral respiratory tracts. No risk management against HFA exposure was in place during the operation. It is especially important to take thorough safety measures against inhalation of HFA. It is also essential that there are no stoppages of the pipes before the operation.

Transfusion‐Related Acute Lung Injury

SUMMARYTransfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) is the adult respiratory distress syndrome arising from transfusion of a plasma‐containing blood product. It occurs within 1–6 hours of transfusion and is the third leading cause of transfusion‐related mortality in developed countries. TRALI patients present with dyspnea, hypotension, fever, and bilateral noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Effective treatment includes stopping the transfusion and providing supportive care, whose intensity will depend on the clinical picture. Approximately 80% of TRALI patients recover within 96 hours. TRALI may result from multiple mechanisms. In most cases, pathogenesis appears to reflect the presence of granulocyte or HLA antibodies in donor blood. These react with and fix complement to antigens in the recipient, which leads to granulocyte aggregation, activation, and severe capillary leakage. Preventive measures should focus on limiting exposure to donors most likely to precipitate TRALI. Implicated donors are multiparous females and donors with previous multiple exposure to allogeneic transfusions. Clear recommendations and guidelines for preventing TRALI are needed.

Pulmonary Edema During Pregnancy. Unilateral Presentation Is Not Rare.

Information regarding pulmonary edema in obstetric patients is limited, especially its natural history as most cases are from tertiary care centers. The incidence, etiology, and course of pulmonary edema in all obstetric patients at a primary-secondary care center was studied prospectively among 29,621 obstetric cases in the past 3.5 years. Pulmonary edema developed in 18 cases (0.06%) of all obstetric patients that were associated with pre-eclampsia-eclampsia and tocolysis with beta-mimetics. The onset of pulmonary edema was 1-8 days postpartum in 12 patients, 1 day antepartum in 3 patients, and 26-32 gestational weeks in 3 patients. The cause was mainly cardiogenic, and the mean time taken for resolution was 2.2 days. Unilateral pulmonary edema occurred in 4 patients and there was delayed resolution compared with bilateral pulmonary edema because of delayed treatment. Pulmonary edema associated with pregnancy developed in 0.06% of cases, mainly during the peripartum, and resolved rapidly. Unilateral pulmonary edema was not uncommon.

Reexpansion pulmonary oedema as a complication of pleural drainage

One hundred and one (6%) of 1,678 patient studied had bilateral reexpansion pulmonary oedema(RPO). On the whole, one thousand, seven hundred and seventy nine (1,779) pleural spaces were studied, fifteen pleural spaces (0.8%), with mean age of 23 +/- 4.5 years had RPO. Among these 15 patients with RPO, the mean period of lung collapse before pneumothorax (PThx) was evacuated was 31.8 +/- 21.8 days and for hydrothorax (HThx) was 31.3 +/- 30.1 days; for 15 patients without RPO (controls), matched for age and sex, the mean period of lung collapse before CTTD was 7.5 +/- 4.1 days and 5.4 +/- 1.3 days respectively for PThx and HThx. The differences in the period of lung collapse among patients with RPO and those without, for each pleural disease was statistically significant (P < 0.03). Volume of pleural fluid drained before RPO was noticed was 2196 +/- 1103 mls, for the 15 matched patients without RPO (controls), it was 1060 +/- 115 mls (p < 0.05). Volume of pleural fluid drained among the patients with SR (Severe response), MR (mild to moderate response) and RD (radiological diagnosis) did not correlate with severity of response. We conclude that prevention of RPO is the desired goal in the management of pleural effusion or Pneumothorax. RPO is commonest among young patients who have had lung collapse for 7 or more days. In these circumstances RPO is prevented, its incidence and severity reduced by methods of gradual evacuation of PThx or pleural fluid drainage.

Repeat endoscopic third ventriculostomy: is it worth trying?

The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and indications for repeat endoscopic third ventriculostomies (ETV). We reviewed the records of 20 patients who had undergone repeat ETV from 1987 to 1999. Their ages ranged from 8 months to 53 years (mean 17 years). The primary etiologies of hydrocephalus were: primary aqueductal stenosis (9 cases), tumor (5), Chiari malformation (2), prior infection (2), prior intraventricular hemorrhage (1), and blocked foramen of Monro (1 patient). The interval between the first and second ETVs ranged from 8 days to almost 6 years (mean 12.8 months). The intraoperative findings at repeat surgery were: occlusion of the primary orifice by scar (10 cases), virginal floor of the third ventricle (5 cases), pinhole ventriculostomy (3 cases), incompletely penetrated membrane (1 case), and blood clot occluding the orifice (1 case). The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 47 months (median 20 months). Repeat ETV was successful in 13 patients (65%). These patients did not require further shunting or other procedures during follow-up. Seven patients (35%) required placement of a shunt after repeat ETV. Several complications were observed in 1 patient (5%), including seizures, elevated ICP, bilateral pulmonary edema, and cardiac arrhythmia. This patient ultimately recovered fully; the ETV was successful, and the patient did not require a shunt. Based on the experience of this group of patients, repeat ETV is as effective and as safe as a primary ETV procedure, and should be attempted in selected patients.

Transfusion and lung injury

The respiratory tree has been viewed as an infrequent site of injury arising as a complication of transfusion. In recent years, this view has changed as investigators have shown that two complications – circulatory overload and transfusion-related acute lung injury – are relatively frequent events. Circulatory overload is a result of hypertransfusion to individuals at risk, the very young or old recipient. The reaction is due to fluid infusion which overwhelms the capacity of the left ventricle, resulting in pulmonary edema. While rarely fatal, studies have shown that such incidents result in intensive care and extended hospitalization. In the setting of orthopedic surgery, 1% of elderly patients undergoing hip or knee surgery experience circulatory overload. These events are associated with autologous, as well as allogeneic red blood cells (RBC) and fresh frozen plasma. Transfusionists need to be vigilant with transfusion therapy in this population. Phlebotomy and supplemental oxygen are the key therapies. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is the adult respiratory distress syndrome due to transfusion. It is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality of 5–14%, making it the third most common cause of death from transfusion in developed countries. It is characterized by the onset of acute respiratory distress, bilateral pulmonary edema and hypoxemia. It occurs within 1–2 hours of transfusion of a plasma-containing blood product. All blood components have been associated with the reaction, and rarely, intravenous immune globulin. There is no recognized profile of individuals at increased risk for TRALI. There are two purported mechanisms of injury; the vast majority of cases are associated with passively transfused complement-activating antibodies. These antibodies are either HLA (Class I or II) or granulocyte-specific. These antibodies appear to act as mediators, which result in granulocyte aggregation, activation, and microvascular pulmonary injury. With appropriate respiratory intervention, 80% of patients recover within 96 hours of the original insult. There are no permanent pulmonary sequelae.

A Case of Bilateral Reexpansion Pulmonary Edema After Pleurocentesis

Acute bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema after pleurocentesis is a rare complication. In one case, bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema after unilateral pleurocentensis in sarcoma was reported. Verious hypotheses regarding the mechanism of reexpansion pulmonary edema include increased capillary permeability due to hypoxic injury, decreased surfactant production, altered pulmonary perfusion and mechanical stretching of the membranes. Ragozzino et al suggested that the mechanism leading to unilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema involves the opposite lung when there is significant contralateral lung compression. Here we report a case of bilateral reexpansion pulmonary edema and acute respiratory distress syndrome after a unilateral pleurocentesis of a large pleural effusion with contralateral lung compression and increased interstitial lung marking underlying chronic liver disease.

Bilateral re‐expansion pulmonary edema in a child: a reminder

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is an uncommon complication of sudden reinflation of a lung collapsed by pneumothorax or pleural effusion. We present a case of bilateral pulmonary edema following unilateral drainage of a pleural effusion in a young child with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The Chest Radiograph in Critically Ill Surgical Patients is Inaccurate in Predicting Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Chest radiographs (CXRs) are frequently obtained in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients when a diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is suspected. The purpose of this study was to determine if the interpretation of the CXR correlated with a diagnosis of VAP in SICU patients. Prospective evaluation of 20 SICU patients clinically suspected of VAP was performed from July 1997 through December 1998. All patients required mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours, and antibiotic use was discontinued 24 hours before entry into the study. Bronchoscopy with protected specimen brush (PSB) sampling of secretions from the right and left lung was performed. A positive PSB was present if quantitative analysis yielded > or = 10(4) colony-forming units/mL of bacteria. VAP was diagnosed if either the right or left PSB was positive and ruled-out if both the right and left PSB yielded < 10(4) colony-forming units/mL. Twelve of 20 patients (60%) were diagnosed to have VAP by PSB criteria. Eight of 20 patients (40%) had CXRs interpreted as negative for infiltrates; four patients had VAP by PSB criteria. There were four patients with focal infiltrates; two patients had VAP. The remaining eight patients had radiographs interpreted as bilateral infiltrates (one) or pulmonary edema (seven); of these, six patients (75%) had VAP. The sensitivity of the CXR in determining the presence of VAP was 25 per cent, the specificity was 75 per cent, and the accuracy was 0.45. The CXR does not improve the clinician's ability to diagnose VAP: a normal CXR does not exclude the presence of VAP and the finding of a focal infiltrate does not confirm the diagnosis of VAP.

A Case of Pulmonary Mucormycosis Mimicking Bilateral Pulmonary Edema on Chest X-ray

Pulmonary mucormycosis is an uncommon, but important opportunistic fungal infection associated with diabetes mellitus, leukemia, lymphoma and other immunocompromised states. Mucor species grow best in acidichigh glucose medium, which explaining the particular susceptibility of diabetic patient who are ketoacidic. Early consideration of this diagnosis, along with aggressive diagnostic evaluation, is critical to effective therapy and patient survival. We have experienced a case of pulmonary murcomycosis mimicking bilateral puimonary edema on chest X-ray that associated with diabetic ketoacidosis. A brief review of the literature was given.

Causes and Outcome of Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With Hemispheric Ischemic Stroke

To attempt to determine factors that influence outcome in mechanically ventilated patients with ischemic hemispheric stroke. We reviewed data on 24 mechanically ventilated patients with an ischemic stroke in the territory of the middle cerebral artery, who had been admitted to a medical, neurologic, or neurosurgical intensive-care unit during the period between 1976 and 1994. The circumstances surrounding mechanical ventilation were generalized tonic-clonic seizures or status epilepticus (N = 6), progression to stupor and inability to protect the airway from brain swelling (N = 8), or--most commonly--bilateral pulmonary edema from congestive heart failure (N = 10). Of the 24 patients, 17 patients died (12 of neurologic causes and 5 of cardiac arrest or cardiac arrhythmias). Of the seven surviving patients, however, four with seizures and one with pulmonary edema were functionally independent. Three clinical scenarios generally underlie mechanical ventilation in patients with ischemic hemispheric stroke (generalized tonic-clonic seizures, brain swelling, and bilateral pulmonary edema). The outcome in patients with an ischemic hemispheric stroke and a subsequent need for mechanical ventilation is poor; however, survival and independent function are possible if seizures or pulmonary edema prompt ventilatory support.

Bilateral Reexpansion Pulmonary Edema after Decompression of Intraoperative Tension Pneumothorax: A case report

Reexpansion pulmonary edema(RPE) is a complication of the treatment of lung collapse secondary to pneumothorax, pleural effusion or atelectasis, and generally believed to occur ipsilaterally when a chronically collapsed lung is rapidly reexpanded by evacuation of large amount of air or fluid. Clinical manifestations of RPE are dyspnea, tachypnea, cyanosis, frothy blood-tinged sputum, wet rale, and expiratory wheezing. Hypotension and decrease in organ perfusion can occur. We experienced intraoperative tension pneumothorax probably due to positive pressure ventilation or pleural injury during central venous catheterization through internal jugular vein. And bilateral RPE combined with acute renal failure occurs after spontaneous decompression of tension pneumothorax with chest tube insertion, even with brief duration of lung collapse. (Korean J Anesthesiol 1997; 32: 316∼319)

Nasal-Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in the Treatment of Near-Drowning in Freshwater

In patients who have experienced near-drowning, hypoxemia is the major clinical consequence. We report two cases of patients who have experienced near-drowning in freshwater who were successfully treated with nasal-continuous positive airway pressure (N-CPAP) plus oxygen therapy. Both patients presented a radiographic appearance of bilateral pulmonary edema. We suggest the use of N-CPAP as an easier and less costly alternative to tracheal intubation for treating near-drowning in patients who are breathing spontaneously and who have not experienced loss of consciousness.

Bilateral or unilateral pulmonary edema induced by Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom in rats

Bilateral or unilateral pulmonary edema induced by Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom in rats

Re–expansion pulmonary oedema following removal of intrathoracic haematoma

Acute ipsilateral pulmonary oedema is a well documented complication of the treatment of lung collapse secondary to pneumothorax, pleural effusion and atelectasis. We present a case of bilateral re-expansion pulmonary oedema following removal of an intrathoracic haematoma. High protein concentration of the oedema fluid suggests increased pulmonary vascular permeability as a cause of this pulmonary oedema.

Negative-Pressure Pulmonary Edema After Endotracheal Intubation

A review of complications occurring in conjunction with general anesthesia identified eight patients with laryngospasm-induced negative-pressure pulmonary edema after endotracheal intubation. Six male and two female patients (mean age, 31.9 years) developed pulmonary edema immediately or up to 25 minutes after extubation. Radiographs obtained 15-165 minutes after symptoms developed revealed alveolar edema and predominating interstitial edema in four patients each. Seven of eight had bilateral centralized patterns, and one had unilateral pulmonary edema. The mean vascular pedicle width was 67 mm +/- 12, a value 40% higher than the normal mean of 48 mm. The mean cardiothoracic ratio was 0.54 +/- .07 (normal mean, 0.53). There were no radiologic abnormalities of the trachea. Negative-pressure pulmonary edema should be suspected in young patients with findings of bilateral centralized pulmonary edema, a wide vascular pedicle, and a normal cardiothoracic ratio in the immediate postoperative period.