Lung

Other nonneoplastic disease

Pulmonary edema



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PubMed search: pulmonary edema [title] lung

Elliot Weisenberg, M.D.
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Table of Contents
Clinical features
Cite this page: Weisenberg E. Pulmonary edema. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lungnontumorpulmonaryedema.html. Accessed March 29th, 2024.
Clinical features
  • Due to hemodynamic disturbances (cardiogenic) or local microvascular injury

Hemodynamic disturbances:
  • Due to increased hydrostatic pressure from congestive heart failure
  • Lungs are wet and heavy, fluid initially at base of lower lobes because hydrostatic pressure is greater here
  • Congestion, fluid and hemosiderin laden macrophages (heart failure cells) are present
  • Later fibrosis and thickening of alveolar walls (brown induration of lung)

Local microvascular injury:
  • Injury causes leakage of fluids and proteins into interstitial space, eventually into alveoli
  • When diffuse, contributes to acute respiratory distress syndrome
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