Overview
What is obstructive atelectasis?
What causes nonobstructive atelectasis?
What is relaxation or passive atelectasis?
What is compression atelectasis?
What is cicatrization atelectasis?
What is middle lobe syndrome (recurrent atelectasis)?
What is the pathophysiology of atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of obstructive atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of nonobstructive atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of adhesive atelectasis?
What is the cause of middle lobe syndrome (recurrent atelectasis)?
What is the pathophysiology of cicatrization atelectasis?
What causes replacement atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of platelike atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of postoperative atelectasis?
What is the primary cause of atelectasis?
What causes resorptive atelectasis?
What causes relaxation atelectasis?
What causes compression atelectasis?
What causes adhesive atelectasis?
What causes cicatrization atelectasis?
What causes replacement atelectasis?
What is the pathophysiology of right middle lobe syndrome (recurrent atelectasis)?
What causes rounded atelectasis?
What is the prevalence of atelectasis in the US?
What are the racial predilections of atelectasis?
How does the prevalence of atelectasis vary by sex?
What age group is at highest risk for atelectasis?
What is the prognosis of atelectasis?
What are key elements of patient education regarding atelectasis?
Presentation
Which procedures increase the risk for postoperative atelectasis?
What is the significance of early postoperative fever in the etiology of atelectasis?
Which factors determine the signs and symptoms of atelectasis?
What are the signs and symptoms of rapid bronchial occlusion in atelectasis?
What are the signs and symptoms of slowly developing atelectasis?
Which physical findings are characteristic of atelectasis?
What are the possible complications of atelectasis?
DDX
Which patients with atelectasis should be evaluated for bronchogenic carcinoma?
How is atelectasis differentiated from pneumothorax?
How is atelectasis differentiated from a massive pleural effusion?
What are the possible areas of medicolegal concern when evaluating atelectasis?
What are the differential diagnoses for Atelectasis?
Workup
What is the role of arterial blood gas in the diagnosis of atelectasis?
How is atelectasis diagnosed in mechanically ventilated patients?
What is the role of imaging studies in the workup of atelectasis?
What are the indirect signs of atelectasis on imaging?
What are the features of complete atelectasis on radiographs?
What are the imaging features of right upper lobe (RUL) collapse in patients with atelectasis?
What are the imaging features of right middle lobe (RML) collapse in patients with atelectasis?
What are the imaging features of right lower lobe (RLL) collapse in patients with atelectasis?
What are the imaging features of left upper lobe (LUL) collapse in patients with atelectasis?
What are the features of left lower lobe (LLL) collapse in patients with atelectasis?
What are the imaging features of rounded atelectasis?
What is the role of bronchoscopy in the workup of atelectasis?
What is the role of histology in the workup of atelectasis?
Treatment
What are the treatment options for atelectasis?
What is the role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the management of atelectasis?
What is the role of nonpharmacologic therapies in the treatment of atelectasis?
What is the basis for treatment selection for atelectasis?
How can postoperative atelectasis be prevented?
How is further atelectasis prevented?
What is the role of nasotracheal suctioning in the treatment of atelectasis?
What is the role of antibiotics in the treatment of atelectasis?
How is postoperative atelectasis treated?
How is severe hypoxemia managed in atelectasis?
When are broad-spectrum antibiotics indicated in the treatment of atelectasis?
When is treatment of atelectasis with fiberoptic bronchoscopy indicated?
How is perioperative analgesia used to treat atelectasis?
What is the role of N -acetylcysteine aerosols in the treatment of atelectasis?
What is the role of DNase in the treatment of atelectasis?
What is the role of a RTX respirator in the treatment of atelectasis?
What is the role of surgery in the treatment of atelectasis?
Medications
Which medications are used in the treatment of atelectasis?
Which medications in the drug class Mucolytic agents are used in the treatment of Atelectasis?
Which medications in the drug class Antibiotics are used in the treatment of Atelectasis?
Which medications in the drug class Bronchodilators are used in the treatment of Atelectasis?
-
Atelectasis. Left lower lobe collapse. The opacity is in the posterior inferior location.
-
Atelectasis. Loss of volume on the left side; an elevated and silhouetted left diaphragm; and an opacity behind the heart, called a sail sign, are present.
-
Atelectasis. Left upper lobe collapse showing opacity contiguous to the aortic knob, a smaller left hemithorax, and a mediastinal shift.
-
Atelectasis. CT scan of a left upper lobe collapse with a small pleural effusion.
-
Complete atelectasis of the left lung. Mediastinal displacement, opacification, and loss of volume are present in the left hemithorax.
-
Atelectasis. Right lower lobe collapse.
-
Atelectasis. Both right lower lobe and right middle lobe collapse. The left lung is hyperexpanded.
-
Complete right lung atelectasis.
-
Atelectasis. A lateral chest x-ray film confirms the diagnosis of right middle lobe collapse. The minor fissure moves down, and the major fissure moves up, leading to a wedge-shaped opacity.
-
Atelectasis. The left upper lobe collapses anteriorly on a lateral chest x-ray film.
-
Atelectasis. Left upper lobe collapse. The top of the aortic knob sign is demonstrated.
-
Atelectasis. Left lower lobe collapse.
-
Atelectasis. Right middle lobe collapse shows obliteration of the right heart border.
-
Atelectasis. The azygous lobe of the right lung may be mistaken for a collapsed right upper lobe.
-
Atelectasis. Left lower lobe collapse. The sail sign is obvious.
-
Atelectasis. Left upper lobe collapse. The Luft Sichel sign is demonstrated clearly in this radiograph.
-
Atelectasis. Chest CT scan showing left upper lobe collapse.
-
Atelectasis. The right lower lobe collapses inferiorly and posteriorly.
-
Atelectasis. Right lower lobe collapse without middle lobe collapse, the right major fissure is shifted downward and is now visible.
-
Atelectasis. Right middle lobe collapse showing obliteration of the right heart border.
-
Atelectasis. Right middle lobe collapse on a lateral chest x-ray film.
-
Atelectasis. Right upper lobe collapse and consolidation.
-
Atelectasis. Right upper lobe collapse.
-
Atelectasis. Left lower lobe collapse on posteroanterior view.
-
The left lower lobe collapses toward the posterior and inferior aspects of the thoracic cavity; the atelectatic left lower lobe is present as a sail behind the cardiac shadow.
-
Atelectasis. Chest posteroanterior radiograph demonstrates a right hilar bronchogenic carcinoma causing right upper lobe collapse with upward displacement of the minor fissure.
-
Atelectasis. Chest lateral radiograph demonstrates a right hilar bronchogenic carcinoma causing right upper lobe collapse with upward displacement of the minor fissure.
-
Atelectasis. CT scan of the chest shows tumor encasing and occluding the right upper lobe bronchus and collapse of the right upper lobe, with superior and medial displacement of the minor fissure.