Risk Factors and Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome after Thoracotomy

Clinical scientists have paid more and more attention to the acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), a severe complication after thoracotomy, for its high mortality rate. Compared with other surgical patients, patients who received thoracotomy often have a worse cardio-pulmonary function and are prone to suffering from ARDS. Surgical treatment or injury, massive blood transfusion, respiratory tract infection, improper fluid replacement and ventilation are probable reasons to cause ARDS. Mechanical ventilation is an important treatment for ARDS,but ventilation with lung-protective strategies was proved to be the only therapy which can improve the prognosis of patients with ARDS. At present, thinking highly of and promoting the perioperative management, lessening surgical injury and active prevention are still very important measures to reduce the mortality after thoracotomy. This article is aimed to review the high risk factors of ARDS after thoracotomy as well as its treatment.