Introduction: Unilateral pulmonary edema (UPE), a life-threatening complication of cardiac surgery, often occurs after prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass and lung collapse, especially in minimally-invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). The present study reported a young patient with severe UPE after the surgery as well as corresponding clinical treatments. In addition to the supportive treatment of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), monitoring changes in cardiopulmonary function and early clinical interventions are crucial.
Conclusion: By weighing the beneficial and detrimental effects of the treatment, it calls for early diagnosis and new therapeutic strategies for the complication.
Keywords: Case report; Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Lung re-expansion; Minimally-invasive bentall surgery; Unilateral pulmonary edema.
© 2024 The Authors.