Case Reports
Vol. 14 No. 1 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.4081/ecj.2018.7265

Respiratory distress due to platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome: A diagnostic challenge in emergency setting

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Received: 28 December 2017
Published: 19 June 2018
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Platypnea, Respiratory distress, Patent foramen ovale, Orthodeoxia, Ascending aortic aneurysm.

Authors

Sandro Di Domenico
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Paolo Aseni
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Luca Bonacchini
luca.bonacchini@ospedaleniguarda.it
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Maurizio Bottiroli
Anesthesia and Critical Care "De Gasperi" Cardio Center, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Rossella Guerrieri
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Adriano Basile
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Andrea Bellone
Emergency Department and Urgency Medicine Ward, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is an unusual cause of hypoxia characterized by enormous variation in oxygen saturation during postural changes. We describe here the clinical presentation, the diagnostic challenge of POS and discuss the main pathophysiological etiologies of the disease in a 75-year-old woman who was admitted because shortness of breath. After ruling out the most important causes of dyspnea we observed that the symptoms improved when the patient was lying flat. The diagnostic workup with computed tomography scan and air bubble saline echocardiography lead us to a correct diagnosis.

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Respiratory distress due to platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome: A diagnostic challenge in emergency setting. (2018). Emergency Care Journal, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/ecj.2018.7265

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