Final answer:
D) Atelectasis Alveolar hypoventilation during mechanical ventilation leads to the risk of atelectasis, which is the collapse of part of the lung due to inadequate ventilation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alveolar hypoventilation, a potential complication of mechanical ventilation, increases the risk for atelectasis. This condition refers to the partial or complete collapse of the lung, typically as a result of inadequate ventilation. When there is insufficient ventilation, the air sacs (alveoli) cannot stay inflated, and the portion of the lung served by the deflated alveoli cannot participate in gas exchange. This often leads to oxygen deprivation in the blood, and can potentially contribute to the onset of pneumonia if left unresolved.
Other complications like embolism or pneumothorax can also arise from hypoventilation, but atelectasis is directly associated with the failure to ventilate part of the lung appropriately.In terms of the risks associated with mechanical ventilation, alveolar hypoventilation fails to provide the pressure and volume necessary to maintain open alveoli, which increases the risk of atelectasis. This can be compounded in clinical settings by the presence of mucus in the airways, which may block ventilation to parts of the lungs.