Korean J Anesthesiol.  1996 May;30(5):615-619. 10.4097/kjae.1996.30.5.615.

Pulmonary Edema Associated with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A case report

• Cho HW
• Bang EC
• Koh SO

• KMID: 2239105
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1996.30.5.615

Abstract

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a myocardial disease associated with pregnancy and leading to heart failure. A twenty-eight years old primipara was scheduled for a cesarean section due to a twin pregnancy. She had no previous cardiac or other systemic illness. But periodic episode of sudden hypertension, tachycardia, hypoxemia(PaO2/FiO2=58) and pulmonary edema were developed in the perioperative period. After being transferred to the intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure was applied for six days and pulmonary infiltration subsided. However, two days after extubation, acute pulmonary edema redeveloped in both lung fields in spite of fluid restriction. In echocardiogram demonstrated global hypokinesia of the left ventricle with an ejection fraction of 31%. Dobutamine infusion was started and one day after infusion the pulmonary edema subsided. In conclusion echocardiogram would be helpful for diagnosis of peripartum cardiomyopathy and adequate cardiac support with assisted ventilation will improve prognosis.

Keyword

Complication; pulmonary; edema; Monitoring; echocardiogrphy; Pregnancy; peripartum cardiomyopathy

MeSH Terms

Cardiomyopathies*
Cesarean Section
Diagnosis
Dobutamine
Edema
Female
Heart Failure
Heart Ventricles
Hypertension
Hypokinesia
Intensive Care Units
Lung
Perioperative Period
Peripartum Period*
Positive-Pressure Respiration
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Twin
Prognosis
Pulmonary Edema*
Respiration, Artificial
Tachycardia
Ventilation
Dobutamine