[Mendelson syndrome in infancy and childhood]

Acute pulmonary failure caused by gastric acid aspiration is designated as Mendelson's syndrome. It is characterized by a trias of symptoms comprising bronchial obstruction, pulmonary oedema, and right ventricular failure. The pathomorphological pulmonary alterations show the typical symptoms of ARDS and allow the differentiation of three phases. The initial phase of injury is characterized by cauterization of the bronchial and alveolar epithelium. It is followed by the exsudative second phase during which alveolar oedema are developing. They impair the pulmonary surfactant synthesis and the formation of hyaline membranes. Fibrosis processes are typical of the proliferative third phase. Every of the mentioned three phases may be classified by their corresponding clinical symptoms. The therapy is entirely symptomatic and follows the intensive medical standards of the ARDS-therapy.