Anesthesia for cesarean section in a parturient with acute pulmonary edema--a case report

Pulmonary edema is a rare complication in preeclampsia patients without pre-existing cardiac disease, tocolytic therapy, infection, or multiple gestations. We present a preeclamptic patient complicated by overwhelming pulmonary edema just prior to cesarean section and the massive edematous fluid production made it an exceptional challenge to the anesthesiologist on airway management. Emergent classic laryngeal mask airway (cLMA) placement was an effective alternative means for ventilation to provide temperate oxygenation in this case.