Negative pressure pulmonary oedema secondary to airway obstruction in an intubated infant

Abstract

We report the case of a healthy one-month-old male infant who underwent an uneventful endotracheal anaesthetic for hernia repair. During transport to the recovery room (a less than 30 second trip), the endotracheal tube in the spontaneously breathing infant became obstructed, possibly due to impaction of the tip in the right main bronchus. Restoration of the airway was followed by fulminant pulmonary oedema. Several days of vigorous respiratory and pharmacologic therapy were required for resolution of the infant's respiratory distress. We review other reported cases of acute airway obstruction associated with pulmonary oedema in children and briefly describe the proposed mechanisms. The difficulties of gauging proper endotracheal tube depth in the infant are noted. This case report demonstrates the importance of continuous monitoring during patient transport to the recovery room.