Abstract
This is a report of a rare presentation known as Re-Expansion Pulmonary Edema (REPE) which arises as an iatrogenic complication of excessive drainage of thoracic volumes (i.e. pleural effusion). The patient of concern here is a 44-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer on the left side who presented to the emergency department with worsening of cough and shortness of breath. Abnormal findings were noted upon auscultation of the patient's chest. Radiographs showed opacity on the left side which was identified as pleural effusion. Most of the fluid (> 1000 ml) was drained with a pigtail insertion and the patient's condition improved. However, the patient's respiratory symptoms relapsed in the following few hours and drainage had to be done again but with a few less milliliters (< 1000 ml) in accordance with an American college recommendation. This resulted in improvement in the patient's status with no relapses of cough or shortness of breath and the patient was managed successfully and discharged home.