This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Management

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Prevention is the best form of management. If postoperative atelactasis does occur then management is as follows:

  • removal of impacted secretions by coughing, managed by physiotherapists, and involves
    • active chest percussion and breathing exercises
    • passive postural drainage
  • ensure adequate analgesia, which may require an intercostal block in upper abdominal incisions
  • if the condition is severe then a catheter can be passed into the bronchi and secretions directly aspirated via the nose or an endotracheal tube
  • if pyrexia is persistent for more than 48 hours then there is a probable secondary chest infection:
    • likely organism is pneumococcus so treat with augmentin
    • if there was possible aspiration then treat also with metronidazole

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.