Mt. Keegan et Wl. Lanier, Pulmonary edema after resection of a fourth ventricle tumor: Possible evidence for a medulla-mediated mechanism, MAYO CLIN P, 74(3), 1999, pp. 264-268
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Medical Research General Topics
A well-recognized fact is that some patients may have development of pulmon
ary edema in association with disorders of the central nervous system. The
origin of this phenomenon, known as neurogenic pulmonary edema, is unclear
but mag result, in part, from select pulmonary venoconstriction modulated b
y autonomic outflow from the medulla oblongata, We describe a 21-year-old m
an who had development of pulmonary edema in association with surgical rese
ction of a brain tumor that was close to the medulla, Other than the possib
ility of medullary dysfunction, which could have occurred after surgical ma
nipulation, no other risk factor for pulmonary edema was identified. Of not
e, the patient's blood pressure remained normal throughout the perioperativ
e period, and no fluid overload or primary cardiac dysfunction was evident,
This case supports the theory that the medulla is an important anatomic si
te of origin for neurogenic pulmonary edema and that alterations in medulla
ry function can induce pulmonary edema in humans, independent of systemic h
ypertension.