Pulmonary edema and the central nervous system: a clinico-pathological study.

Pulmonary edema is reported in central nervous system disorders, especially trauma. With head injury, a common associated factor is said to be raised intracranial pressure. Among more than 2,100 patients with serious head injuries and 132 serious cervical spinal cord and/or cervical spinal column injuries, only two clear examples of pulmonary edema that might be considered related solely to such injury were found. Another group of patients with non-traumatic central nervous system disorders in whom pulmonary edema developed was also analyzed. In any case, conclusive pathophysiologic explanations for its production are difficult to find. We believe pulmonary edema occurs only rarely in patients with lesions of the central nervous system whether of traumatic or non-traumatic nature and that the mechanism of its production is not clear.