BackgroundPre-operative and post-operative hypoxemia are frequent complications of Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAD). This study explored the effect of pre-operative hypoxemia on the occurrence and outcome of post-operative acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in AAD.MethodA total of 238 patients who underwent surgical treatment for AAD between 2016 and 2021 were enrolled. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of pre-operative hypoxemia on post-operative simple hypoxemia and ARDS. Post-operative ARDS patients were divided into pre-operative normal oxygenation group and pre-operative hypoxemia group that were compared for clinical outcomes. Post-operative ARDS patients with pre-operative normal oxygenation were classified as the real ARDS group. Post-operative ARDS patients with pre-operative hypoxemia, post-operative simple hypoxemia, and post-operative normal oxygenation were classified as the non-ARDS group. Outcomes of real ARDS and non-ARDS groups were compared.ResultLogistic regression analysis showed that pre-operative hypoxemia was positively associated with the risk of post-operative simple hypoxemia (odds ratios (OR) = 4.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67–13.81) and post-operative ARDS (OR = 8.514, 95% CI: 2.64–27.47) after adjusting for the confounders. The post-operative ARDS with pre-operative normal oxygenation group had significantly higher lactate, APACHEII score and longer mechanical ventilation time than the post-operative ARDS with pre-operative hypoxemia group (P < 0.05). Pre-operative the risk of death within 30 days after discharge was slightly higher in ARDS patients with pre-operative normal oxygenation than in ARDS patients with pre-operative hypoxemia, but there was no statistical difference(log-rank test, P = 0.051). The incidence of AKI and cerebral infarction, lactate, APACHEII score, mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit and post-operative hospital stay, and mortality with 30 days after discharge were significantly higher in the real ARDS group than in the non-ARDS group (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors in the Cox survival analysis, the risk of death within 30 days after discharge was significantly higher in the real ARDS group than in the non-ARDS group (hazard ratio(HR): 4.633, 95% CI: 1.012–21.202, P < 0.05).ConclusionPreoperative hypoxemia is an independent risk factor for post-operative simple hypoxemia and ARDS. Post-operative ARDS with pre-operative normal oxygenation was the real ARDS, which was more severe and associated with a higher risk of death after surgery.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-023-02457-8.