Pulmonary edema due to partial upper airway obstruction in a child

The case of an 8-year-old boy is reported, who developed acute pulmonary edema associated with acute subglottic swelling and subsequent partial upper airway obstruction after extubation and recovery from anaesthesia. The main factors responsible for the formation of pulmonary edema presumably are a large subatmospheric transpulmonary pressure gradient and hypoxia leading to translocation of circulating blood volume into the pulmonary vasculature and fluid shift across the alveolar-capillary membrane. Application of oxygen and CPAP or PEEP plus diuretic therapy will promote rapid clearance of the pulmonary edema.