Korean J Cerebrovasc Surg.  2005 Sep;7(3):249-251.

Pneumothorax after Cerebral Aneurysm Surgery: Case Report

• Kim DW
• Kang SD

Abstract

A 62-years-old woman admitted to our hospital because of a ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysm. After clipping of an aneurysm, bilateral pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum was detected on chest X-ray and chest CT. High positive pressures during mechanical ventilation can led to pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum. The dissection of air along the perivascular sheaths of the pulmonary arteries, presumably due to rupture of perivascular alveoli was suggested as the mechanism. A rare case of neurogenic pulmonary edema combined with pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum after surgery of an aneurysm should be kept in mind as one of complications during anesthesia and mechanical ventilation.

Keyword

Pneumothorax; Mechanical ventilation

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Aneurysm
Female
Humans
Intracranial Aneurysm*
Mediastinal Emphysema
Pneumothorax*
Pulmonary Artery
Pulmonary Edema
Respiration, Artificial
Rupture
Thorax
Tomography, X-Ray Computed