Anesth Pain Med.  2012 Jan;7(1):34-37.

Post-extubation negative pressure pulmonary edema complicating laparoscopic appendectomy: A report of two cases

• Lee SE
• Chi KC
• Jung YH

Abstract

We report two cases of post-extubation negative pressure pulmonary edema in otherwise healthy patients. The patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy under general anesthesia and developed negative pressure pulmonary edema immediately after extubation. All cases fully resolved within 24 hours with supplementary oxygen. The literature suggests that post-extubation pulmonary edema occurs more frequently than is generally thought, with a frequency of 0.05-0.1% in all anesthesia, and is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. Most cases occur in the early post-operative period, and this is potentially life-threatening condition. Therefore, anesthesiologist and surgeon are well placed to witness, investigate and manage this condition.

Keyword

Extubation; Negative pressure pulmonary edema

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Appendectomy
Humans
Oxygen
Pulmonary Edema
Wit and Humor as Topic
Oxygen