title: Unilateral pulmonary edema after laparoscopic nephrectomy.
abstract: Unilateral-dependent pulmonary edema though reported in laparoscopic donor nephrectomies, has not been reported after laparoscopic non-donor nephrectomies. A 75-kg, 61-year-old man, a diagnosed case of right renal cell carcinoma was scheduled for laparoscopic nephrectomy. After establishing general anesthesia, the patient was positioned in the left-sided modified kidney (flank) position. During the 5.75-hour procedure, he was hemodynamically stable except for a transient drop in blood pressure immediately after positioning. Intra-abdominal pressure was maintained less than 15 mmHg throughout the procedure. Blood loss was approximately 50 mL and urine output was 100 mL in the first hour followed by a total of 20 mL in the next 4.75 hours. Total fluid received during the procedure included 1.5 L of Ringer's lactate and 1.0 L of 6% hydroxyethyl starch. After an uneventful procedure he developed respiratory distress in the postoperative period with a radiological evidence of dependent lung edema. Clinical and radiological improvement followed noninvasive ventilation, intravenous diuretics and oxygen therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Shreepathi Krishna
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Achar
authors.forename: Cherish
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varghese
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