Unilateral Re-expansions Pulmonary Edema after Thoracic Drainage Insertion in Patient with Extensive Para-pneumonic Pleural Effusion | Insight Medical Publishing

In presence of extensive pleural effusion, there is usually a largely atelectatic lung. After thoracic drainage insertion and immediate expansion of the lung, there is a risk of re-expansion pulmonary edema. The following case, described as a rare, life-threatening complication, describes the development of a pulmonary edema after insertion of a chest tube in a completely atelectatic lung as a result of compression due to large pleural effusion.