Facial signs of respiratory distress after cardiac surgery. A plea for the clinical approach to mechanical ventilation.

The face is a rich source of information about the respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological state of the patient. These systems are particularly affected in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after cardiac surgery. It is possible to make firm decisions about mechanical ventilation by scrupulously careful clinical examination, without blood-gas analysis or measurement of respiratory dynamics. The method is also applicable to many other conditions.