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Case Reports
. 2024 Jan-Mar;18(1):123-125.
doi: 10.4103/sja.sja_574_23. Epub 2024 Jan 2.

Negative pressure pulmonary edema after general anesthesia using the i-gel

Deok-Hee Lee  1 , Nawon Lee  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Negative pressure pulmonary edema after general anesthesia using the i-gel

Deok-Hee Lee et al. Saudi J Anaesth. 2024 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) is a rare complication that occurs mainly after tracheal extubation. We report a case of postoperative NPPE associated with the use of the i-gel. A 28-year-old woman was scheduled for an emergency right axillary sentinel lymph node excision. During emergence, the patient experienced a sudden onset of airway obstruction, and spontaneous ventilation through the i-gel was impossible. Pink and frothy secretions were noted in the i-gel and the patient's oral cavity. Positive airway pressure with 100% oxygen was applied using a facemask, and the patient was subsequently treated with high-flow oxygen therapy. In this case, laryngospasm or displacement of the i-gel was believed to be the cause of airway obstruction. We recognized that NPPE is likely to occur regardless of the airway device, and the use of the i-gel cannot completely eliminate the possibility of NPPE occurrence.

Keywords: Airway obstruction; i-gel; negative pressure pulmonary edema.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Portable chest radiography in the operating room revealed consolidation and effusion in both lung fields
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chest radiography of POD 4 revealed a slight resolution of the consolidation in both the middle and lower lobes
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chest radiography of POD 6 revealed almost clear status in both lung fields
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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