Postoperative Acute Pulmonary Edema: An Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Author(s):

Halhoul Youssef, Doghmi Naoufal, Elwali Abderrahmane and Bensghir Mustapha

Pulmonary edema can occur in the immediate postoperative period, and this may reflect intraoperative cardiac events resulting in cardiogenic pulmonary edema. The predominant mechanism is increased negative intrathoracic pressure, although hypoxia and cardiac and neurologic factors may contribute. We report a case of a patient with postextubation pulmonary edema who had no obvious risk factors for the development of this syndrome. This syndrome can occur in any patient undergoing general anesthesia and that this syndrome may develop following lapses in anesthetic technique, especially extubation.