Final answer:
Atelectasis is the most common pulmonary complication after surgery, especially abdominal surgery. It results from the closure of bronchioles or obstruction potentially caused by conditions like COPD. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and, in the case of pneumonia, may include antibiotics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Atelectasis is the most common pulmonary complication after surgery, affecting 25% of patients who have abdominal surgery. This condition is most often due to closure of bronchioles, which can also be a result of obstruction from blood clots or COPD secretions. Atelectasis can be related to obstructive diseases and conditions such as emphysema, asthma, and pulmonary edema, all of which lead to diminished airway accessibility and gas exchange.
Obstructive pulmonary diseases cause an increase in lung volume to compensate for the lack of airway recruitment. This increased lung volume results in trapped air after exhalation. For instance, in emphysema, largely caused by smoking tobacco, the alveolar walls are destroyed and this decreases the surface area available for gas exchange. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic poor airflow with symptoms that worsen over time, ultimately making activities like walking upstairs quite difficult due to shortness of breath.
Preventive measures such as vaccines are available to prevent pneumonia, another pulmonary condition where alveoli fill with fluid, hampering gas exchange. Treatments often include prescription antibiotics for bacterial forms of pneumonia. In the case of COPD, while there is no cure, cessation of smoking can slow down its progression.