[Acute edema of the lung in eclampsia].

In 6 cases of eclampsia in the course of pre and post-partum, we could observe neurological disorders associated with acute pulmonary oedema with acute respiratory distress occurring 5 to 72 hours after the first convulsive crisis. Hemodynamic check-up provided various results: 3 cases corresponded to A.P.O resulting from a lesion, with normal capillary pressure. In 3 other cases, there was hemodynamic oedema (overloading with high flow and hypervolemia in one case, myocardial incompetence with hypovolemia in an other case revealed by test filling in a third case). There were clinical signs of left ventricular failure in 4 case. Post-mortem investigations (5 cases) revealed unimportant ultrastructural alterations of myocardium only in 2 cases. Pulmonary histopathological investigations (5 cases) were the investigations carried out in case of oedema resulting from lesions with interstitial and alveolar oedema, hyaline membranes, alteration of pneumocytes, and intra-capillary thrombi. Mendelson's syndrome which was always discussed could be eliminated. The syndrome of respiratory distress was certainly connected with more or less generalized microcirculatory disorders (microembolism with hyperpermeability) connected with hemostasis disorders and cerebral manifestations.