REEXPANSION PULMONARY-EDEMA OCCURRING AFTER THORACOSCOPIC DRAINAGE OFA PLEURAL EFFUSION

Video assisted thoracoscopic drainage and talc pleurodesis was used to treat a recurrent pleural effusion in a 60-year-old woman undergoing major gynecologic surgery. She developed reexpansion pulmonary edema i mmediately; following surgery. Several important risk factors that wer e present in this patient are discussed. In addition to almost complet e collapse of the underlying lung for several weeks, thoracoscopy resu lted in manipulations and rapid re-inflation of the underlying lung; w hich further increased the risk to the patient. (C) 1996 by Elsevier S cience Inc.