Exam 2: Respiratory Disorders Flashcards
Pleural Effusion
Collection of fluids in the pleural space.
Causes of Pleural Effusion
- Imbalance of hydrostatic pressure
- Exudate and extravasated of fluids
Clinical Manifestations of Respiratory Disorders
Symptoms of underlying disease process
- Fever, chills, chest pain - Orthopnea - Absent breath sounds - Dull, flat percussion - Tracheal deviation - X-ray showing fluid accumulation
Goal for Medical Management of Pleural Effusion
Prevent accumulation of fluid to relieve discomfort.
- Thoracentesis
- Chest Tube Insertion
- Pleurodesis
Nursing Management of Pleural Effusion
- Assist in thoracentesis
- Monitoring/care of chest tube
- Pain management
Pneumothorax
Presence of air in the pleural space causing restriction of lung expansion and collapse.
ANY TRAUMA TO CHEST WALL.
What are the six types of pneumothorax?
- Simple (Spontaneous)
- Traumatic
- Tension
- Hemothorax
- Latrogenic
- Chylothorax
- Tension
Hemopneumothorax
Presence of blood and air
Clinical Manifestations of Pneumothorax
Pain Tachycardia Anxiety Dyspnea Use of accessory muscles Central Cyanosis Diminished breath sounds Tracheal deviation/shift Agitation Hypotension Profuse diaphoresis
Goal for management of a pneumothorax
To evacuate the air or blood from the pleural space.
Pneumothorax: Nursing Management
Chest tube Autotransfusion Emergency care Thoracentesis Thoracotomy Care for tension pneumothorax
Chest Tube/Pleural Drainage
Purpose is to remove air and fluid from the pleural space and restore normal intrapleural pressure
Chest Tube insertion
Can be inserted in ER, bedside or O.R.; can be inserted in ant. 2 ICS or post 8-9th ICS.
Site is covered with airtight dressing
3 Basic Components of Pleural Drainage
- Collection Chamber
- Second Chamber/Water- seal Chamber- contain 2 cm of water which act as a one way valve.
a. Air fluctuates in this chamber called “tidaling” - Third Chamber/Suction control chamber
Third Chamber/Suction Control Chamber
a. Applies suction to the chest tube drainage
b. Filled with 20 cm of water
c. Bubbling occurs when negative suction pressure exceeds 20 cm, it controls too much suctioning pressure.
Pneumothorax: Nursing Management
- Keep all tubing straight as much as possible below chest level
- Keep all connections tight and sealed
- Keep appropriate water level, use sterile water
- Mark the time of measurement and fluid level
- Observe air bubbling/ tidaling in water seal chamber
- Bubbling is intermittent in water seal, if continuous determine leakage by momentary clamping tube distal from the patient until bubbling stops.
- Monitor Vital Signs and chest Movement
- Never elevate drainage to the level of patient’s chest
- Encourage deep breathing and ROM to affected side
- Do not strip or milk chest tubes
- If drainage tube breaks place the distal end of the drainage tube in a sterile water at 2 cm level
- Clamp with rubber stopper a bed side
- Always have a vaselinize gauze at bedside to reinforce dressing if leakage is present.
Two mechanisms of injury causing chest trauma
- Blunt Trauma
2. Penetrating Trauma
Blunt Trauma
Chest strikes or is struck by an object.
Impact damages thoracic structures. (Internal structures such as ribs -> laceration on lung tissue)
Penetrating Trauma
Open injury from a foreign body like a knife or gun shot.
Impulse or passes through the body tissues, creating an open wound.
Pneumothorax Classification
Open: air entering through an opening in chest.
Closed: no external wound
What happens when air enters the pleural space?
Increases positive pressure -> partial/complete lung collapse
An increase in volume of air in pleural space causes a
Decrease in lung volume
Intrapleural Pressure
Negative pressure between the pleural cavity.
Allows the lung to be passively filled during chest expansions. (Inhalation)
Actions of elastic fibers in the lung
Constantly pull against the pleura and keeps the intrapleural pressure below atmospheric pressure for passive inhalation (P outside > P inside)
Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Simple) can be d/t
Rupture of small blebs on apex of lungs “over distended alveoli”.
Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Simple): Primary
Blebs occurring in young healthy people
Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Simple): Secondary
Blebs occurring as a result of COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis and pneumonia.
Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Simple): Risk Factors
Smoking, tall/thin, male, family has and previous sp.
Latrogenic Pneumothorax: Caused by
Laceration/puncture of lung during medical procedures
Barotrauma
Increased ventilator pressure rupturing alveoli or bronchioles
Traumatic Pneumothorax: Caused by
Penetrating (open) or non penetrating chest trauma (closed)
Tension Pneumothorax
Rapid accumulation of air/fluid into pleural space that doesn’t escape
Tension Pneumothorax: Caused by
Open/closed pneumothorax
Mechanical Ventilation
CPR
Clamped/blocked chest tubes
Tension Pneumothorax Affect on the Lungs and Heart
- Compression of the lung on the affected side puts pressure on the heart and great vessels -> decreases venous return and CO
- Tracheal shift to the unaffected side -> compresses the good lung -> effects O2
Clinical Manifestations of Tension Pneumothorax
- Dyspnea (use of accessory muscles for breathing nostril flaring & sternocleidomastoid)
- Cyanosis
- Air hunger
- Increased HR and decreased breath sounds
- Agitation/restlessness (sign of hypoxia)
- Tracheal deviation
- Subcutaneous emphysema
- JVD
- Hyperresonance to percussion