Mendelson's syndrome

Overview
Mendelson's syndrome is chemical pneumonia caused by aspiration during anaesthesia, especially during pregnancy.

Mendelson's syndrome is characterised by a bronchopulmonary reaction following aspiration of gastric contents during general anaesthesia due to abolition of the laryngeal reflexes. The main clinical features, which may become evident within two to five hours after anaesthesia, consist of cyanosis, dyspnoea, pulmonary wheeze, crepitant rales, bronchi, decreased arterial oxygen tension, and tachyardia, associated with a high BP. Pulmonary oedema can cause sudden death or death may occur later from pulmonary complications. It occurs predominantly in association with obstetric anaesthesia.