Nose-Ocomial Pulmonary Edema: A Rare Complication of Oxymetazoline

Abstract

A 72-year-old female with epiphora presented for outpatient punctoplasty with probing and lacrimal stent placement. Oxymetazoline was administered intranasally and the case was completed in standard fashion. Postoperatively, the patient desaturated with a workup revealing elevated cardiac enzymes, pulmonary congestion, and sinus bradycardia. However, the final cardiac testing was noncontributory, suggesting flash pulmonary edema secondary to intranasal oxymetazoline. This case highlights a rare presentation of pulmonary compromise secondary to oxymetazoline, emphasizing the importance of intraoperative and postoperative vigilance in simple outpatient procedures.