ABSTRACT
In recent years applications of artifical ventilation after surgery have broadened with improved diagnostic and therapeutic tools and better understanding of pathophysiology of adult respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). This report includes 15 cases of ARDS complicated following intraabdominal surgery, whic hcomprise 2. 2% of 681 cases performed in the department of general surgery of this hospital during the period of 6 months from October 1975 through March 1976. The results were as follows: 1) Male to female ratio was 11: 4. 2) Average was 51.4 years with mortality rate of 53. 5% without sexual difference. 3) More frequent incidence and higher mortality rate of ARDS occurred in patients with total serum protein less than 6.0gm% and serum albumin less than 2.9gm%. 4) Average duration of artificial ventilation was 35. 6 hours in the survived group and 44. 5 hours in the expired group. 5) Preoperative ventilatory values(minute volume, frequency and vital capacity) and arterial blood gases revealed no differences between the survived and the expired groups. 6) Six of 15 cases of ARDS were transfused with more than 4,000ml of ACD bank blood. 7) Potential date of onset of ARDS were not predictable.