ABSTRACT
There are a number of common causes of respiratory failure in the surgical patient, which can be classified into three broad groups:
• Acute fall in functional residual capacity without pulmonary vascular dysfunction – includes central or myoneural disorders, failure of chest mechanics after trauma or other processes that render the lungs stiff and non-compliant. Acute postoperative atelectasis, sputum retention, pneumonia or depression of respiration by analgesic, sedative or neuromuscular blocking drugs fall into this category. Frailty and malnutrition contribute
• Acute fall in FRC with pulmonary vascular dysfunction – includes left ventricular failure, fluid overload, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism, neurogenic pulmonary oedema or ARDS
• Airflow obstruction – including increased lung volume states such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma or other airflow obstruction.
