Thorax & Lungs Flashcards
Signs of distress
- Retractions & paradoxical breathing
- Audible sounds (wheezes, stridor)
Stridor
- High pitched wheeze
- Largely inspiratory
- Louder in the neck
Stridor results from what?
Turbulent airflow in upper airway
What does stridor indicate?
Laryngeal/upper airway obstruction
- Can be associated w/ epiglottis, foreign body aspiration
Signs of COPD
- Clubbing
- Pursed lip breathing
Clubbing
- Fingertips become rounder
- Linked to heart/lung conditions
- “Schamroth’s Sign”
Pursed lip breathing
- Reduces RR (12-15)
- Increases tidal volume
- ↓PaCO2
- ↑PaO2
Checking chest expansion
- Place thumbs at level of 10th ribs, fingers parallel to lateral rib cage
- Ask pt to inhale deeply
- Make note of how far your thumbs diverge as the thorax expands, looking for symmetry
What does a unilateral decrease or delay in expansion suggest?
- Fibrosis
- Pleural effusion
- Lobar pneumonia
Indirect percussion
Finger of one hand strikes finger of other hand, but does not strike the pt directly
- Only 1 finger should be placed on pt
- Should be used to check for degree of resonance
Direct percussion
Fingers or fist strike pt’s body directly
- Should be used to check for areas of tenderness
Atelectasis
Loss of air from lung or collapse of lung tissue w/ reduced lung volume
What is atelectasis a result of?
Blockage of air passages w/ mucous or from pleural effusion
Tension pneumothorax
- Large amount of air entering chest
- When 1-way valve is formed by area of damaged tissue
Pneumonia
- Refers to inflammation of the lung
- Pulmonary infiltrates/ consolidation
- Usually due to infection (lower respiratory)
Consolidation
Lung tissue becomes firm & solid
- Due to accumulated fluids & tissue debris
- An infiltrate can cause consolidation
If CC = cough, what questions should you ask?
- Sputum?
- Amount, color, consistency? - Blood?
- SOB?
- At rest or w/ exertion?
*Note
Costal cartilage & ribs feel identical
1st bony prominence
Usually C7/T1
Thorax & lungs: circumferential landmarks
- Midsternal line
- Midclavicular line(MCL)
- Anterior axillary line
- Midaxillary line
- Posterior axillary line
Lung apex
2-4 cm above clavicle
Lower border of the lung
- 6th rib midclavicular line (MCL)
- 8th rib midaxillary line
- T10 posterior
Major (oblique) fissure
- Divides lung in 1/2
- From T3 spinous process to 6th rib at MCL
Minor (horizontal) fissure
- R lung only
- Runs close to 4th rib
Lung fields
- Subdivided into 6 regions
- Region 1-6 denote upper right, middle right, lower right, upper left, middle left, & lower left
- Auscultate to determine affected lobe (not definitive dx though!)
Signs in R upper lung field originate from where?
- Almost certainly from a process in R upper lobe
Signs in R middle lung field originate from where?
- Could come from any of the lobes