Reexpansion pulmonary edema after treatment of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax

Abstract

Reexpansion pulmonary edema is an unusual, but commonly fatal, clinical state. It is denoted by the occurrence of unilateral pulmonary edema in a lung that has been speedily reinflated following a variable duration of collapse secondary to a pleural effusion or pneumothorax. Unilateral pulmonary edema is connected with a variable degree of hypoxia and hypotension, occasionally needing intubation and mechanical ventilation, and at times causing lethality. The exact pathophysiologic anomalies linked with this disorder are still not known, although reduced pulmonary surfactant levels and a proinflammatory status are supposed mechanisms. Early diagnosis is important because prognosis is based on early recognition and right treatment. Preventive means are still the best applicable approach for patient handling. Here, we report a case of a 25-year-old male patient who developed reexpansion pulmonary edema after intercostal drainage for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax.