[Uni- and ipsilateral pulmonary edema after surgery on the lung]

Unilateral pulmonary edema can develop after evacuation of pleural liquid and pneumothorax, after pneumonectomy at the contralateral side and as a special form in left ventricular failure. Unilateral ipsilateral pulmonary edema in the remaining parenchyma after operations of the lung has been described very rarely. Eight patients are here described, once after a decortication and seven times after a pulmonary resection. Radiologic signs occurred generally 12-24 h after the operation and persisted for three to seven days. The first postoperative X-ray was always more or less normal. We believe that the cause of the edema is a mechanical traumatisation of the remaining parenchyma of the lung at the time of the operation which results to a capillary leak. Left ventricular failure and excessive fluid application after the operation can be a risk factor. Generally no clinical signs are present during the edema, but respiratory insufficiency, as with patient 8 can occur. Therefore it is important to distinguish unilateral pulmonary edema from other diagnosis like pneumonitis, hemothorax and atelectasis.