Negative pressure pulmonary oedema caused by biting and endotracheal tube occlusion--a case for oropharyngeal airways.

A patient had general anaesthesia for laparoscopic surgery. She bit on and occluded her endotracheal tube during recovery from anaesthesia. Strong inspiratory efforts during airway obstruction caused negative pressure pulmonary oedema. The pulmonary oedema resolved within 24 hours. Use of an oropharyngeal airway as a bite block could have prevented this complication.