Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Following Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) incidence following minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) is rare. We report a case of acute respiratory failure following cardiac surgery that was diagnosed as ARDS. A 77-year-old female patient diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement via a right thoracotomy. The surgery was uneventful, and the patient was extubated on the day of surgery. However, oxygen saturation steadily declined one day postoperatively, and the patient was re-intubated. Chest radiography revealed bilateral heterogeneous infiltrates. After excluding other differential diagnoses, we diagnosed ARDS based on established diagnostic criteria. Inhalation of nitric oxide, methylprednisolone, and Sivelestat were initiated. The patient's respiratory status gradually improved, and she was re-extubated eight days postoperatively. She remained stable in the general ward and was transferred for rehabilitation. Early diagnosis and intervention are key for favorable outcomes in these cases.