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Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases
Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases
Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases
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Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases

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Atelectasis is the state of incomplete expansion or the collapse of part or airlessness of the lungs due to the failure to expand at birth (atelectasis of the newborn) or (much less commonly) the collapse of part or all of a lung.
Atelectasis of the right lung is more common than the left lung especially in cases of obstruction.
This is because the right main bronchus is straighter than the left bronchus so any foreign body or mucus is more lightly to obstruct the right lung.
Atelectasis can be caused by complications arising out of respiratory illnesses.
It occurs when the alveoli, the tiny air sacs within the lungs, collapsed.
Some of the common causes of atelectasis are severe asthma, chest injuries, cystic fibrosis and congestion due to mucus in the airways.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in the lungs may be impaired in severe cases.
Acute atelectasis frequently happens after surgery which involves the chest or abdomen.
It may also happen as a result to an injury to the chest.
This form of atelectasis affects most of the alveoli in one or more areas of the lung, with the alveolar sacs collapsing completely.
The risks of acute atelectasis are tight bandages, immobility, chest or abdominal pain or swelling and large doses of opioids or sedatives which increase after surgery or injury.
Chronic atelectasis
a. Right middle lobe syndrome, which is also known as Andy Wilson’s Disease, affects the middle lobe of the right lung.
This alveolar sacs of the right middle lobe lung collapses and contracts due to pressure exerted on the bronchus by enlarged lymph glands.
Pneumonia infection may result leading to chronic inflammation, scarring and bronchiectasis.
b. Rounded atelectasis.
Rounded atelectasis or folded lung syndrome affects the slow collapse of an outer part of the lung.
The scarring and shrinkage of the pleura, the membranes covering the lung, is the main cause.
Rounded atelectasis is frequently linked to asbestos related respiratory diseases.
There are 2 main causes of atelectasis.
1. Obstructive atelectasis due to a blockage of the airways
2. Non-obstructive atelectasis which is caused by pressure from outside the lung.
The signs and symptoms of atelectasis are:.
a. Breathing difficulty including tachypnea
b. Chest pain and tachycardia
c. Cough
The following procedures may be done to confirm atelectasis:
a. Bronchoscopy may check for obstruction by foreign body or scarring of the airways
b. Chest CT scan will show enhanced presence of lung collapse
c. Chest x-ray will show collapse of the lungs or mediastinal shift.
Treatment for atelectasis depends on the cause, with the aim of treatment being to reverse and re-expand the collapse of the lung tissue.
If fluid is causing pressure on the lung, removal of the fluid may help the lung to expand.
A. Several types of chest physiotherapy are also used to treat atelectasis:
a. Clapping (percussion) on the chest to loosen mucus plugs in the airway
b. Deep breathing exercises
c. Remove any blockage in the airways such as foreign body or hardened mucus plugs by bronchoscopy.
d. Tilting the head at a lower level than the chest.
This is a form of postural drainage and helps the accumulated mucus to drain away more easily
e. Turn the person to lie on the healthy side, to allow the collapsed area of lung to re-expand
B. Breathing oxygen helps to relieve shortness of breath
C. Surgery: Atelectasis caused by a tumor may require chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery to shrink or remove the tumor

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Atelectasis
Chapter 2 Causes of Atelectasis
Chapter 3 Symptoms of Atelectasis
Chapter 4 Diagnosis of Atelectasis
Chapter 5 Treatment of Atelectasis
Chapter 6 Prognosis of Atelectasis
Chapter 7 Bronchiectasis
Chapter 8 Pneumonia
Epilogue

LanguageEnglish
PublisherKenneth Kee
Release dateOct 17, 2016
ISBN9781370796526
Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases
Author

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

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    Book preview

    Atelectasis, (Lung Collapse) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Diseases - Kenneth Kee

    Atelectasis,

    (Lung Collapse)

    A

    Simple

    Guide

    To

    The Condition,

    Diagnosis,

    Treatment

    And

    Related Diseases

    by

    Dr Kenneth Kee

    M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

    Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

    Copyright Kenneth Kee 2014 Smashwords Edition

    Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

    Dedication

    This book is dedicated

    To my wife Dorothy

    And my children

    Carolyn, Grace

    And Kelvin

    This book describes the Atelectasis, Diagnosis, Treatment and Associated Diseases or in vernacular terms

    (What You Need to Treat and Cope with Atelectasis)

    This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

    If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

    Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    Introduction

    Ode To Atelectasis

    Atelectasis is the state of lung collapse or incomplete expansion

    It is usually due to the blockage of an airway from obstruction

    The cause of the obstruction may be due to foreign body or mucus

    The severity of atelectasis depends on the damage of lung tissue

    Tuberculosis and other infective diseases can cause airway to be narrowed

    Lymph nodes and tumors externally cause the air tube to be compressed

    Pleural effusion in the form of fluid may compress the middle and lower lobes

    Pneumothorax in the form of air escaping usually affects the upper lung lobes

    The symptoms of atelectasis are breathing difficulty including tachypnea

    Because of the collapse of the lung there may be chest pain and tachycardia

    There is mild fever and cough in cases of inflammation and infections

    Atelectasis may also lead to pneumonia which can be a fatal complication

    The goal of treatment is to re-expand the collapsed lung tissue

    Clapping on the chest and postural drainage will loosen the mucus

    Removal of foreign body and tumor can be done by bronchoscopy

    While aerosolized respiratory treatments help to open the bronchi

    -An original poem by Kenneth Kee

    Interesting Tips about the Atelectasis

    A Healthy Lifestyle

    1. Take a well Balanced Diet

    2. The goal of treatment is to re-expand the collapsed lung tissue.

    If fluid is putting pressure on the lung, removing the fluid may allow the lung to expand.

    Treatments for atelectasis include one or more of the following:

    a. Clapping (percussion) on the chest to loosen mucus plugs in the airway

    b. Performing deep breathing exercises (with the help of incentive spirometry devices)

    c. Removing or relieving any blockage in the airways such as foreign body or hardened mucus plugs by bronchoscopy.

    d. Tilt the person so the head is lower than the chest (called postural drainage).

    This allows mucus to drain more easily.

    e. Treat a tumor or other condition, if there is one

    f. Turn the person to lie on the healthy side, allowing the collapsed area of lung to re-expand

    g. Use aerosolized respiratory treatments (inhaled medications) to open the airway

    h. Use other devices that help increase positive pressure in the airways and clear fluids (positive expiratory pressure PEP devices)

    3. Keep bones and body strong

    Bone marrow produces our blood

    Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables.

    Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.

    Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits

    Zinc and other minerals

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