A case report of severe hypothermia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome has not been a described complication of hypothermia. Causes of hypothermia are commonly associated with alcohol abuse and infection, both of which could lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. We present a case of severe hypothermia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome in a young immunocompetent male treated successfully with mechanical intubation and venovenous extracorpeal membrane oxygenation. Risk factors for known causes of acute respiratory distress syndrome included a witnessed aspiration event and RSV pneumonia. On review of the literature, severe hypothermia has been found to cause pulmonary edema in post-mortem studies, but acute respiratory distress syndrome has not yet been recognized as a known complication. Our case highlights that acute respiratory distress syndrome may be multifactorial in etiology and related to complications of severe hypothermia.