G.S., a 36-year-old secretary, was involved in a motor vehicle accident; a car drifted left of center and struck G.S. head-on, pinning her behind the steering wheel. She was intubated immediately after extrication and flown to your trauma center. Her injuries were found to be extensive: bilateral flail chest, torn innominate artery, right hemo/pneumothorax, fractured spleen, multiple small liver lacerations, compound fractures of both legs, and probable cardiac contusion. She was taken to the OR, where she received 36 units of PRC (packed red cells), 20 units of platelets, 20 units cryoprecipitate, 12 units FFP (fresh frozen plasma), and 18 L of LR. She was admitted to the ICU postop, where she developed ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome). 1. What is ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome)?

Adult respiratory distress syndrome is a situation where there is an accumulation of fluids in the lung air sacs. This occurs in adults who are seriously ill or injured, as is the case with G.S, shown in the question above.

Generally, patients who get this syndrome, fail to recover and end up dying. This is because the fluids of the lung prevent the organs from receiving the oxygen necessary for their functioning.