title: Persistent hypoxemia due to patent foramen ovale in a patient with adult respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: This report describes a patient in the recovery phase of the adult respiratory distress syndrome in whom the persistence of severe hypoxemia was not corrected by a high fractional concentration of oxygen in the inspired gas and positive end-expiratory pressure. A right-to-left interatrial shunt was diagnosed by M-mode and cross-sectional echocardiography with saline injection, and the presence of a patent foramen ovale was confirmed at the time of cardiac surgery.
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy