What Causes Postoperative Atelectasis?

Postoperative Atelectasis is often caused by diaphragmatic dysfunction following general anesthesia and/or diminished surfactant activity following a surgery.

Acute massive atelectasis almost always results from a postoperative complication of upper abdominal procedures, lung resection, or due to endothelial cell damage resulting from hypothermia (caused by use of ice-chips for slowing down the heart-beats, etc.) during the course of a heart-lung bypass surgery, etc.

Other contributory factors include use of large doses of sedatives/opiates during and after a surgical procedure, and abdominal distention.

Postoperative Atelectasis Treatment:

Postoperative atelectasis treatment may include: Oxygen therapy to achieve an arterial oxygen saturation of 90% and above, Bronchoscopy, Suctioning of the airways, Continuous positive airway pressure and Larger tidal volumes to help re-expand collapsed lung segments. Epidural analgesia has also been shown to be a quite effective for pain control in patients diagnosed with Postoperative atelectasis.

Postoperative Atelectasis Prognosis:

Most postoperative atelectasis patients generally respond well to the treatment. Postoperative atelectasis patients experiencing severe hypoxemia (because of severe respiratory distress, etc.) may require intubation and/or mechanical ventilation support.

Respiratory/Chest Physiotherapy and Postoperative Atelectasis:

Respiratoy/chest chest physiotherapy is considered to be quite helpful to patients diagnosed with Postoperative Atelectasis. Chest physiotherapy not only helps promote deep breathing and forceful coughing, it also facilitates suctioning of intubated patients. Therefore, respiratory therapy techniques (deep-breathing exercises, coughing exercises, incentive spirometry, etc.) are often considered to be an important part of Postoperative Atelectasis treatment -especially for the postoperative atelectasis patients on mechanical ventilators.

Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy and Postoperative Atelectasis:

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is generally reserved only for those Postoperative Atelectasis patients for whom the usual respiratory/chest physiotherapy is either contraindicated, found to be ineffective, or poorly tolerated.

Postoperative Atelectasis Prevention:

In many cases, postoperative atelectasis can be prevented by: avoiding high dosages of sedativers/opiates, early ambulation and early respiratory therapy to train/assist the postoperative atelectasis patients breathe deeply.

For additional specifics on various atelectasis symptoms, atelectasis diagnosis, atelectasis treatment, atelectasis cures and remedies, and survival rates for specific types of atelectasis, please visit: Adhesive atelectasis, Basilar atelectasis, Cicatrization atelectasis, Compression atelectasis, Consolidation atelectasis, Dependent atelectasis, Lobar atelectasis, Platelike atelectasis, Postoperative atelectasis, Relaxation Passive atelectasis, Replacement atelectasis, Right middle lobe syndrome, Resorptive atelectasis, and Rounded atelectasis.

Don't forget to check out Lung Disease News section of this website for the latest Postoperative Atelectasis Treatment News and our Lung Disease Articles Library for the latest Postoperative Atelectasis related Articles.

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