Case 02

A patient underwent a surgical procedure (coronary artery bypass grafting). A central venous line was placed intraoperatively for drug administration and monitoring. Patient was transferred to the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) in a stable condition. After some hours the patient began to report difficulty breathing. His oxygen saturation dropped to 90%. An arterial blood gas showed hypoxemia. The patient’s respiratory rate increased, and he appeared anxious. You are called for assessment. RF: 30, sat. 86, Heart rate (HR) 110/min, BP 160/95