Right upper lobe consolidation: an unusual complication of an uneventful endotracheal intubation.

A 28 year old fit and healthy Caucasian man had a Bankart's repair of the left shoulder under general anaesthetic for a recurrent dislocation of the shoulder. The operative procedure was uneventful. Following extubation he was tachycardic and saturation dropped in the recovery room. The chest radiograph revealed shadowing in the right lung and he was diagnosed to have right middle lobe collapse. Subsequently the radiograph was reported as right upper lobe consolidation by the radiologist. We wish to report this unusual complication and the difficulty in diagnosis of such a complication occurring following an uneventful anaesthetic.