Post-adenotonsillectomy pulmonary edema (pATPE) is a life-threatening condition that necessitates immediate clinical intervention. The early diagnosis and detection of the signs of this condition is vital to its treatment and patient outcome. The purpose of this review article is to present epidemiological data on the prevalence of pATPE, and address the mechanisms of development, types, etiology, pathophysiology, and management of pATPE. In order to minimize postoperative intensive care unit admission rates of pATPE, utilization of preoperative clinical assessment, operative/postoperative monitoring tools, and procedural precautions are discussed.