Re-expansion Pulmonary Edema after Chest Drainage for Pneumothorax; Evaluation of Risk Factors in 630 Episodes

Abstract

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is a complication of tube thoracostomy for pneumothorax and massive pleural effusion, and was initially reported after spontaneous pneumothorax by Carlson in 1958 [1]. The incidence of RPE for spontaneous pneumothorax treatments ranges from 0.9% to 29.8% [2, 3]. Although most patients with RPE recover without any treatment, it can lead to prolonged hospital stay, increased chest discomfort, dyspnea, and in severe cases hemodynamic and respiratory instability, making early recognition and understanding of associated risk factors of utmost importance. We aim to describe the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes for RPE cases at our institution.