Alveolar collapse, or atelectasis, occurs when the alveoli in the lungs become deflated or filled with fluid, leading to reduced gas exchange and potentially impaired respiratory function. It can result from various causes, including obstruction, compression, or surfactant deficiency, and requires prompt intervention to restore normal lung function.

Alveolar Collapse

Alveolar collapse

Atelectasis is the partial or complete collapse of a lung or a section (lobe) of a lung, leading to reduced or absent gas exchange and potentially causing respiratory complications. It can result from airway obstruction, lung compression, or surfactant deficiency, and requires prompt medical evaluation to address underlying causes and restore lung function.

atelectasis

Deflated alveoli

Fluid-filled alveoli

reduced gas exchange

impaired respiratory function

Obstruction refers to the act of deliberately hindering or preventing a process, action, or function from occurring as intended. It is often associated with legal and political contexts where it can involve actions that impede justice or legislative procedures.

obstruction

Compression is the process of reducing the size of data by encoding information using fewer bits, which can be achieved through lossless or lossy methods depending on the acceptable trade-off between data fidelity and storage efficiency. This technique is crucial for efficient data storage, transmission, and processing, and is widely used in file formats, multimedia, and data communication systems.

compression

Surfactant deficiency occurs when there is an insufficient production of surfactant in the lungs, leading to increased surface tension and collapse of alveoli, which impairs gas exchange. This condition is most commonly seen in premature infants and can result in respiratory distress syndrome, necessitating medical intervention such as surfactant replacement therapy.

Your Courses

Relevant Degrees

Your Lessons