A case of self-limiting respiratory distress in a postpartum mother – transfusion related acute lung injury

Abstract

A 37-year-old woman, treated for postpartum haemorrhage, developed sudden-onset acute respiratory distress characterised by tachypnoea, desaturation and widespread crepitations, on the first day postpartum. She had low partial pressure of oxygen to the fractional inspired oxygen concentration (PaO2/FiO2) ratio and bilateral patchy opacities in chest radiograph. Despite having a high oxygen requirement, her clinical and radiographic abnormalities spontaneously resolved in 30 hours, after a conservative treatment approach. This case report delves into the rare, yet serious entity of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and underscores the importance of considering it among other potential causes of shortness of breath following blood transfusion in postpartum patients.

Keywords

• Transfusion related acute lung injury
• Postpartum dyspnoea
• Adverse blood transfusion reaction