title: Sudden profound hypoxaemia in the intensive care unit--a case report.
abstract: Acute hypoxaemia is a life-threatening emergency. Diagnosis of the exact aetiology maybe complicated by the presence of pre-existing lung conditions. A case report is presented of a non-intubated patient with a pre-existing lung tumour who developed sudden profound hypoxaemia 3 days after emergency abdominal surgery. Definitive aetiological diagnosis was delayed due to chest X-ray features suggestive of compression and erosion of tumour tissue into the airway. Emergency computerised tomography (CT) imaging however revealed mucous plugging leading to massive atelectasis as the main aetiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Low
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000150:complications; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology