Negative pressure pulmonary edema: an uncommon life-threatening postoperative complication

Negative pressure pulmonary edema [NPPE] is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening postoperative complication which occurs following sudden upper airway obstruction. Hypoxemia and acute respiratory failure are often severe. Therefore, early recognition and initiation of appropriate treatment are warranted. We present a case of a twenty-one-year-old male who presented with NPPE due to upper airway obstruction following adenoidectomy. The patient was intubated and sedated to initiate mechanical ventilation. Fluid balance was optimized and weaning off mechanical ventilation was successful under dexmedetomidine infusion. The patient was discharged with favourable outcome