Pulmonary Medical Procedures

Question 1

Airway Adjuncts: definition

Answer 1

device used to protect/ maintain the airway, to provide mechanical ventilation, or to promote airway clearance

Question 2

Airway Adjuncts: Oral pharyngeal

Answer 2

plastic tube shaped to fit curvature of soft palate & tongue
holds the tongue away from back of throat to maintain patency of airway

Question 3

Airway Adjuncts: Nasal pharyngeal

Answer 3

latex/rubber tube inserts through nose to allow for nasotracheal suctioning

Question 4

Airway Adjuncts: Endotracheal

Answer 4

plastic tube inserts into trachea form mouth/ nose to provide an airway & allow for mechanical ventilation

Question 5

Airway Adjuncts: Tracheostomy

Answer 5

artificial airway inserted into trachea form incision in the neck below the vocal cords
used in pts needing prolonged mechanical ventilation

Question 6

Airway Suctioning

Answer 6

mechanical aspiration of secretions from nasopharynx/ oropharynx/ trachea using a suction catheter
Indications: increased/ thickened secretions & inadequate cough- frequency depends on amount of secretion produced

Question 7

Lung Transplant

Answer 7

surgical procedure replacing one/both diseased/ failing lungs w/ healthy donor lungs
reserved for pts w/ end-stage COPD, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, & other serious diseases WITHOUT serious comorbidities

Question 8

Mechanical Ventilation

Answer 8

provides assistance to breath via positive pressure from mechanical ventilator/ breathing machine
positive pressure provides force needed to deliver air into lungs by increasing intrathoracic pressure
involved automatic cycling ventilator connected to a tracheostomy tube/ mask to assist/ breath for pt

Question 9

Oxygen Therapy

Answer 9

liquid/ gaseous O2 indicated for treatment of acute/ chronic hypoxemia in pts with:
PaO2 ≤ 55 mmHg
SaO2 ≤88% @ rest
PaO2 56-59 mmHg
SaO2 89% + cor pulmonale/ polycythemia

devices available include: nasal cannula, face mask

Question 10

Thoracotomy

Answer 10

surgical incision made in chest wall to access heart, great vessels, lungs, esophagus & diaphgragm for diagnostic/ therapeutic purposes
incision may be made under arm (axillary), through sternum (median sternotomy), from back to the side (posterolateral), or under breast (anterolateral)

Question 11

Tracheostomy

Answer 11

surgically created hole through neck into trachea below vocal cords
2 reasons: airway obstruction @/above larynx, respiratory failure requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation

can be surgically closed when no longer needed