Bilateral pneumothorax in a parturient undergoing cesarean section under general anesthesia

Pneumothorax is quite unusual to occur during or following cesarean section, as only six cases have been reported so far, and only one of them was bilateral. Here, we report a 19-year-old, previously healthy, non-smoking primigravida who underwent a cesarean section under general anesthesia, and whose oxygen saturation level quickly dropped to 81% following endotracheal intubation. Although an initial chest radiograph did not demonstrate pneumothorax, a CT scan performed on the following day showed the patient had developed bilateral pneumothorax. Chest tubes were inserted on both sides, and the patient was discharged on the sixth postoperative day in stable condition. This case underlines the need to include pneumothorax in the differential diagnosis when managing a patient with acute respiratory distress during cesarean section or in the immediate post-operative period.