Question

An apneic, term infant with poor chest rise despite PPV. What is the most likely cause of the poor chest rise?

1) Airway obstruction
2) Pneumothorax
3) Hypovolemia
4) Cardiac arrest

Answer 1

Airway obstruction is the most likely cause of poor chest rise in an apneic, term infant during PPV, often due to meconium aspiration.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely cause of poor chest rise in an apneic, term infant despite positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is airway obstruction. Conditions such as meconium aspiration can lead to obstruction of a newborn's airways, resulting in alveolar collapse, interference with surfactant function, and increased risk of pulmonary infection. In contrast to the other options, hypovolemia and cardiac arrest do not directly cause inadequate chest rise with PPV, and while pneumothorax could be a cause, meconium aspiration is more directly related to the initial breaths of a newborn and is thus a more likely cause in this context.