Postpneumonectomy pulmonary edema.

Pulmonary edema is an uncommon but serious complication associated with major resection of the lung, usually after pneumonectomy. The pathophysiology of this condition is not completely understood, but recent experimental and clinical data suggest that this condition results from a combination of increased filtration gradient across the pulmonary microcirculation together with hyperpermeability. Overzealous perioperative infusions of fluid have been implicated in clinical cases. We present the reports of 2 patients with postpneumonectomy pulmonary edema we recently encountered and a review of the literature to provide diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in dealing with this serious complication.