[Pulmonary expansion edema during the management of a spontaneous pneumothorax. Report of one case].

Pulmonary expansion edema is a rare complication of the management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. We report a 20 year old male admitted with a right primary spontaneous pneumothorax. A chest tube connected to a water seal was placed, achieving lung expansion. Immediately, the patient presented hypotension and a reduction in arterial oxygen saturation to 78%. Non-invasive ventilation was started. A chest X ray showed extensive right lung edema. The patient was managed with noradrenaline and albumin infusion with good response. Pulmonary edema resolved on day 3 but air leak was persistant so, the patient required surgery to excise apical bullae in the right lung. He was discharged during the following days in good condition.