ADULT RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME AFTER ATTEMPTED STRANGULATION

We describe a case of severe acute lung injury after attempted strangu lation. The patient presented initially with cerebral irritability and florid, non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema which were followed by a pro longed period of the adult respiratory distress syndrome, severe sepsi s and multiple system organ failure, although the patient eventually s urvived. The pulmonary injury following strangulation is proposed to b e a result of the generation of marked subatmospheric pressures within the lungs during vigorous inspiration against an obstructed airway, a lthough the processes involved in the so-called neurogenic pulmonary o edema are difficult to exclude.