Images in Clinical Medicine

Reexpansion Pulmonary Edema after Treatment of Pneumothorax

Syed Mohammad Tariq, F.R.C.P., and Tabinda Sadaf, M.B., B.S.

N Engl J Med 2006; 354:2046May 11, 2006

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A 50-year-old smoker presented with acute-onset breathlessness and right-sided chest pain of four days' duration. There was no history of chest trauma. A posteroanterior chest radiograph (Panel A) demonstrated a right-sided pneumothorax. His symptoms improved immediately on placement of a chest tube. Two hours later, he again became breathless, and examination revealed extensive right-sided chest crackles. Chest radiography was repeated and showed a fully expanded right lung (Panel B), albeit with features of pulmonary edema. The arrowheads in Panel B show the position of the chest tube. The patient's condition improved after continuous positive airway pressure was delivered through a face mask overnight. The chest tube was removed after three days. At follow-up six weeks later, the patient was asymptomatic and well. The results of further investigations were consistent with the presence of mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Syed Mohammad Tariq, F.R.C.P.
Tabinda Sadaf, M.B., B.S.
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman

Citing Articles (4)

Citing Articles

1. 1

   Stephen M. Schexnayder, Elizabeth A. Storm, Michael H. Stroud, Michele M. Moss, Ashley S. Ross, Richard T. Fiser, Muayyad Tailounie, Xiomara Garcia-Casal. 2011. Pediatric Vascular Access and Centeses. , 139-163.
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2. 2

   Albert Lu, Paul Aronowitz. (2010) Pneumothorax in a patient with COPD after blunt trauma. Journal of Hospital Medicine 5:4, E34-E35
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3. 3

   Karen E Iles, Weifeng Song, David W Miller, Dale A Dickinson, Sadis Matalon. (2009) Reactive species and pulmonary edema. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine 3:5, 487-496
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4. 4

   A. Scherpereel. (2006) Controverses sur la plèvre. Revue des Maladies Respiratoires 23:5, 106-109
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