Anaesthesia and surgery induce major changes in respiratory function, in particular when the thorax or the upper abdomen are involved. Pulmonary volumes decrease, and atelectasis can develop. Postoperative pain and diaphragm dysfunction further worsen the respiratory function, contributing to the risk of acute respiratory failure. non-invasive ventilation proved to be beneficial in the postoper...

Round atelectasis is a benign inflammatory condition most frequently observed in patients with asbestos exposure but it can also result from a variety of chronic pleural diseases like infection. It has not previously been described in sarcoidosis. We report the occurrence of round atelectasis in four previously diagnosed sarcoidosis patients who were under follow up at our outpatient clinic. Th...

Spiral computed tomography (CT) allows volumetric analysis of formation of atelectasis and aeration of the lungs during anaesthesia. We studied 26 premedicated patients undergoing elective surgery allocated to group 1 (conscious, spontaneous breathing, investigating inspiration and expiration), group 2 (general anaesthesia with mechanical ventilation, investigating inspiration and expiration) o...

BACKGROUND The ideal timing for extubation of patients with myasthenic crisis (MC) and the factors that influence extubation outcome are not well established. OBJECTIVES To assess the risk of extubation failure in MC and to identify predictors of extubation failure. DESIGN We reviewed consecutive episodes of MC treated with endotracheal intubation from January 1, 1987, through December 31, ...

Awake, spontaneously breathing humans sigh on average 9 to 10 times per hour. The sigh is a normal homeostatic reflex proposed to maintain pulmonary compliance and decrease the formation of atelectasis by recruiting collapsed alveoli. The induction and maintenance of anesthesia with muscle paralysis and a fixed tidal volume abolish the sigh. Without periodic sighs, patients are left susceptible...

A PREVIOUS STUDY lo reported the effect on man of exposure to an atmosphere consisting primarily of oxygen at reduced total pressure (190 mm. Hg). Arterial desaturation was found in two of eight test subjects at the conclusion of 17 days, suggesting the possibility of atelectasis being present. This was not cordlrmed by either x-ray or vital capacity data. Atelectasis had been noted, however, a...

Local failure is a major cause for low overall survival rates in advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among others, radioresistant tumor clones as well as geographical miss can explain these high local failure rates. One reason for geographical miss is a change of tumor related atelectasis in the course of radiotherapy. We present the case of a patient with UICC Stage IIIb NSCLC who pre...

RATIONALE The occurrence of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) and vascular ring (VR) is extremely rare. PATIENT CONCERNS We present a case of left CCAM with VR consisting of a left aortic arch and right descending aorta with left tracheal compression causing atelectasis. DIAGNOSES A high-risk male neonate with the diagnosis of left CCAM was diagnosed at 20 weeks gestational ...

OBJECTIVE To describe the radiologic findings of migrating lobar atelectasis of the right lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS Chest radiographs (n = 6) and CT scans (n = 5) of six patients with migrating lobar atelectasis of the right lung were analyzed retrospectively. The underlying diseases associated with lobar atelectasis were bronchogenic carcinoma (n = 4), bronchial tuberculosis (n = 1), and t...

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that extended postoperative antibiotic cover would reduce the incidence of pulmonary complications in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery with tracheostomy. DESIGN A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was carried out to determine the efficacy of an extended course (5 days) of intravenous amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in reducing the rate of at...