Upper airway obstruction due to inhalation of a tracheal T-tube resulting in pulmonary edema.

Acute upper airway obstruction may present with pulmonary edema. Following is a report of pulmonary edema secondary to acute upper airway obstruction due to inhalation of a Montgomery tracheal T-tube. The principal factor causing pulmonary edema is the generation of large negative transpulmonary pressures. This may be enhanced by changes in the cardiovascular function due to the Müller maneuver.