A Postoperative Patient with Hypoxia and an Abnormal Chest Radiograph
Ali J. Ahmed, MD
College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University
College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University
Volume 1, Issue 1, Article 5 | Published August 2026 | Submitted June 2026
Abstract
A 67-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer developed an oxygen saturation of 70% one hour after radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. She was tachypneic; her other vital signs were within normal limits. An anteroposterior supine chest radiograph was obtained. What is the most significant abnormality?
Clinical Vignette
A 67-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer underwent radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. One hour after surgery, pulse oximetry showed a peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) of 70%. The patient was found to be tachypneic; her other vital signs were within normal limits. An anteroposterior (AP) supine chest radiograph was obtained (Figure 1):
What is the most significant abnormality on this chest radiograph?
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