An 8-year-old girl underwent surgical drainage of a peritonsillar abscess with adenoidectomy to relieve existing airway obstruction. Upon extubation, she is developing wheezing, tachypnea, and hypoxemia with frothy pink fluid in the endotracheal tube. Postoperative chest x-ray reveals diffuse, bilateral interstitial infiltrates. What is the most likely cause of these clinical symptoms?
A. Acute asthma
B. Negative-pressure pulmonary edema
C. ARDS
D. Congestive heart failure
E. Aspiration of gastric contents