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    ATELECTASIS

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    Ashley Jane Macapayad
    Atelectasis is a collapse of the lung caused by obstruction of the airways or pressure from outside the lung. It commonly occurs after surgery when regular breathing patterns are disrupted. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, rapid shallow breathing, and wheezing. Treatment depends on the underlying cause but may include chest physiotherapy, breathing exercises, drainage of fluid or air in the chest, or surgery in rare cases.

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    ATELECTASIS

    Uploaded by

    Ashley Jane Macapayad
    173 views4 pages
    Atelectasis is a collapse of the lung caused by obstruction of the airways or pressure from outside the lung. It commonly occurs after surgery when regular breathing patterns are disrupted. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, rapid shallow breathing, and wheezing. Treatment depends on the underlying cause but may include chest physiotherapy, breathing exercises, drainage of fluid or air in the chest, or surgery in rare cases.

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    Atelectasis is a collapse of the lung caused by obstruction of the airways or pressure from outside the lung. It commonly occurs after surgery when regular breathing patterns are disrupted. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, rapid shallow breathing, and wheezing. Treatment depends on the underlying cause but may include chest physiotherapy, breathing exercises, drainage of fluid or air in the chest, or surgery in rare cases.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    173 views4 pages

    ATELECTASIS

    Uploaded by

    Ashley Jane Macapayad
    Atelectasis is a collapse of the lung caused by obstruction of the airways or pressure from outside the lung. It commonly occurs after surgery when regular breathing patterns are disrupted. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, rapid shallow breathing, and wheezing. Treatment depends on the underlying cause but may include chest physiotherapy, breathing exercises, drainage of fluid or air in the chest, or surgery in rare cases.

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    ATELECTASIS

    1. Definition:

    Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) is a complete or partial collapse of the entire lung or area (lobe)
    of the lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or possibly
    filled with alveolar fluid.

    Atelectasis is one of the most common breathing (respiratory) complications after surgery. It's
    also a possible complication of other respiratory problems, including cystic fibrosis, lung
    tumors, chest injuries, fluid in the lung and respiratory weakness. You may develop atelectasis if
    you breathe in a foreign object.

    Atelectasis can make breathing difficult, particularly if you already have lung disease. Treatment
    depends on the cause and severity of the collapse.

    2. Identify the causative agent

    Atelectasis occurs from a blocked airway (obstructive) or pressure from outside the lung
    (nonobstructive).

    General anesthesia is a common cause of atelectasis. It changes your regular pattern of


    breathing and affects the exchange of lung gases, which can cause the air sacs (alveoli) to
    deflate. Nearly everyone who has major surgery develops some amount of atelectasis. It often
    occurs after heart bypass surgery.

    Obstructive atelectasis may be caused by many things, including:

     Mucus plug. A mucus plug is a buildup of mucus in your airways. It commonly occurs
    during and after surgery because you can't cough. Drugs given during surgery make you
    breathe less deeply, so normal secretions collect in the airways. Suctioning the lungs
    during surgery helps clear them, but sometimes they still build up. Mucus plugs are also
    common in children, people with cystic fibrosis and during severe asthma attacks.

     Foreign body. Atelectasis is common in children who have inhaled an object, such as a


    peanut or small toy part, into their lungs.

     Tumor inside the airway. An abnormal growth can narrow the airway.

    Possible causes of nonobstructive atelectasis include:


     Injury. Chest trauma — from a fall or car accident, for example — can cause you to
    avoid taking deep breaths (due to the pain), which can result in compression of your
    lungs.

     Pleural effusion. This condition involves the buildup of fluid between the tissues
    (pleura) that line the lungs and the inside of the chest wall.

     Pneumonia. Various types of pneumonia, a lung infection, can cause atelectasis.

     Pneumothorax. Air leaks into the space between your lungs and chest wall, indirectly
    causing some or all of a lung to collapse.

     Scarring of lung tissue. Scarring could be caused by injury, lung disease or surgery.

     Tumor. A large tumor can press against and deflate the lung, as opposed to blocking the
    air passages.

    3. Signs and Symptoms

    There may be no obvious signs or symptoms of atelectasis. If you do have signs and symptoms,
    they may include:

     Difficulty breathing

     Rapid, shallow breathing

     Wheezing

     Cough

    4. Med and Nsg Management

    Treating atelectasis depends on the underlying cause and how severe your symptoms
    are.

    If you’re having trouble breathing or feel like you’re not getting enough air, seek
    immediate medical treatment.
    You may need the assistance of a breathing machine until your lungs can recover and
    the cause is treated. 

    Nonsurgical treatment

    Most cases of atelectasis don’t require surgery. Depending on the underlying cause,
    your doctor might suggest one or a combination of these treatments:

     Chest physiotherapy. This involves moving your body into different positions and


    using tapping motions, vibrations, or wearing a vibrating vest to help loosen and
    drain mucus. It’s generally used for obstructive or postsurgical atelectasis. This
    treatment is commonly used in people with cystic fibrosis as well. 
     Bronchoscopy. Your doctor can insert a small tube through your nose or mouth
    into your lungs to remove a foreign object or clear a mucus plug. This can also be
    used to remove a tissue sample from a mass so that your doctor can figure out
    what is causing the problem.
     Breathing exercises. Exercises or devices, such as an incentive spirometer, that
    force you to breathe in deeply and help to open up your alveoli. This is especially
    useful for postsurgical atelectasis.
     Drainage. If your atelectasis is due to pneumothorax or pleural effusion, your
    doctor may need to drain air or fluid from your chest. To remove fluid, they’ll
    likely insert a needle through your back, between your ribs, and into the pocket
    of fluid. To remove air, they may need to insert a plastic tube, called a chest tube,
    to remove extra air or fluid. The chest tube may need to be left in for several days
    in more severe cases.

    Surgical treatment

    In very rare cases, you may need to have a small area or lobe of your lung removed. This
    is usually only done after trying all other options or in cases involving permanently
    scarred lungs.
    Reference:

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atelectasis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369684

    https://www.healthline.com/health/atelectasis

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