General Surgery, Trauma & Burns · NEET PG Preparation Surgery
A 45-year-old male is admitted with severe acute pancreatitis. On the third day of admission, he develops acute respiratory distress with tachypnea,…
Practice question from General Surgery, Trauma & Burns (NEET PG Preparation Surgery), with the correct answer and a step-by-step solution.
medium · MCQ · Q-6C52D3
A 45-year-old male is admitted with severe acute pancreatitis. On the third day of admission, he develops acute respiratory distress with tachypnea, hypoxemia refractory to supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula, and bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph without evidence of cardiogenic pulmonary edema. What is the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of this complication?
- A.Increased pulmonary capillary hydrostatic pressure due to fluid overload
- B.Systemic release of activated pancreatic enzymes and cytokines leading to increased alveolar-capillary membrane permeabilityCorrect answer
- C.Direct aspiration of gastric contents secondary to paralytic ileus
- D.Fat embolization syndrome originating from peripancreatic fat necrosis
Solution
The patient has developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) secondary to severe acute pancreatitis. This is characterized by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by systemic release of activated pancreatic enzymes, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators that increase alveolar-capillary permeability.
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