Re-expansion pulmonary edema in a boy with spontaneous pneumothorax during an influenza B virus infection

Abstract

Re-expansion Pulmonary Edema (RPE) is an uncommon complication following rapid re-expansion of the lungs, and the most common disorder associated with RPE is spontaneous pneumothorax. The majority of patients with RPE associated with pneumothorax have been adults; only 4 cases have been reported in children. We present a patient who developed RPE after treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax that occurred during an influenza B virus infection. His condition improved only with oxygen supplementation and intravenous corticosteroids. Infection with influenza B virus leads to increased production of lung epithelial oxidants, which might have contributed to the development of RPE in our patient