Hanging is a prevalent method of ending one’s life, which can result in various pulmonary complications such as post-obstructive pulmonary edema, aspiration pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pneumothorax, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. A one-year prospective study was conducted, including all cases of near hanging presented to our center between January 1, 2022, and December 3, 2022. Ten patients were included in the study, ranging in age from 13 to 30 years, and their Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on presentation varied between 3 and 12. All patients were managed with cervical spine immobilization and other supportive measures, and each underwent computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine and brain. All ten patients had leukocytosis, tachycardia, and tachypnea, and six required mechanical ventilation, while three required vasopressors. The number of days of mechanical ventilation ranged from 1 to 4 days. One patient developed a rare pneumothorax, while another developed hanging-induced stress cardiomyopathy. Eight patients were discharged in room air, and two died. Recognizing negative-pressure pulmonary edema, which is common in hanging patients and can be mistaken for ARDS, is crucial for pulmonologists. This condition responds well to supportive treatment and differs from ARDS in terms of its treatment effectiveness.

Hanging is a prevalent method of ending one’s life, which can result in various pulmonary complications such as post-obstructive pulmonary edema, aspiration pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pneumothorax, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. A one-year prospective study was conducted, including all cases of near hanging presented to our center between January 1, 2022, and December 3, 2022. Ten patients were included in the study, ranging in age from 13 to 30 years, and their Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on presentation varied between 3 and 12. All patients were managed with cervical spine immobilization and other supportive measures, and each underwent computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine and brain. All ten patients had leukocytosis, tachycardia, and tachypnea, and six required mechanical ventilation, while three required vasopressors. The number of days of mechanical ventilation ranged from 1 to 4 days. One patient developed a rare pneumothorax, while another developed hanging-induced stress cardiomyopathy. Eight patients were discharged in room air, and two died. Recognizing negative-pressure pulmonary edema, which is common in hanging patients and can be mistaken for ARDS, is crucial for pulmonologists. This condition responds well to supportive treatment and differs from ARDS in terms of its treatment effectiveness.