Korean J Anesthesiol.  2012 Aug;63(2):165-168. 10.4097/kjae.2012.63.2.165.

A case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage after tonsillectomy: A case report

• Kim JP
• Park JJ
• Kim NJ
• Woo SH

• KMID: 1780200
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2012.63.2.165

Abstract

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is an acute, life-threatening event. The blood-gas barrier must be very thin to allow gas exchange and is therefore subjected to high mechanical stresses when the capillary pressure rises. In general anesthesia, inhaled gases cause high mechanical stresses, and thus DAH occurs under certain conditions. We describe a case of inferred postoperative DAH. A 25-year-old man had an acute episode after undergoing a tonsillectomy for snoring. During surgery, no problems occurred and no marked bleeding was observed. After removal of the endotracheal tube, however, the patient had severe cough and hemoptysis. The patient was treated with an antihemorrhagic agent and antibiotics. He recovered after 1 week. Chronic snoring likely caused the alveolar damage in this patient and intubation led to DAH. The patient presented with a benign course that regressed spontaneously with medical intervention.

Keyword

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; Bronchoscopy; Hemorrhage; Pulmonary alveoli; Tonsillectomy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anesthesia, General
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Bronchoscopy
Capillaries
Cough
Gases
Hemoptysis
Hemorrhage
Humans
Intubation
Pulmonary Alveoli
Snoring
Stress, Mechanical
Tonsillectomy
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Gases