A 53-year-old female patient was admitted to the ICU postoperatively after cholecystectomy for a failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for retrieval of common bile duct stones. She had a recent history of gallstone-induced pancreatitis. On the fifth postoperative day, she suddenly became tachypneic and complained of abdominal tightness. She continued to have respiratory distress and later on was intubated because of severe respiratory distress and hypoxemia. While on the ventilator, her peak airway pressure and the plateau pressure were very high.