Abstract

This report concerns an unusual case of acute postoperative pulmonary edema without any apparent causes in a 45-year-old man. The patient was subjected to the removal of a previously placed device on the left tibia, and the excision of a benign mass on the right forearm. Unexpected acute bilateral pulmonary edema occurred immediately after the completion of the procedures. The etiologies were reviewed in relation to the patient's condition and clinical manifestations. Fluid overloading was excluded as a cause in view of the patient's perioperative state and postoperative chest X-ray results. We could not find any symptoms of upper airway obstruction during emergence from general anesthesia. We had doubts about tourniquet or fentanyl-induced pulmonary edema, but these factors were not sufficient to bring about pulmonary edema in this case. To our knowledge, the cause of acute pulmonary edema in this case is indeterminate.

• Keywords: Pulmonary edema;Postoperative;Acute;