lungs

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive disease that causes symptoms such as breathlessness and cough. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of diseases with the chief symptom of breathlessness and cough. COPD is a slowly progressive disease and affects approximately 32 million Americans. …

What are video laryngoscopy and fiberoptic-assisted tracheal intubation? Video laryngoscopy allows for the larynx to be seen with a fiberoptic or digital laryngoscope inserted through the nose or mouth. Fiberoptic intubation inserts an ET tube over the shaft of a flexible fiberoptic scope for visualization. Tracheal intubation, also called intubation, involves placing a flexible plastic tube (endotracheal [ET] tube) into the …

The four types of lung cancer are based on the cell types and location, as well as how they look under a microscope. Lung cancer is classified into four types, depending on how the cancer cells look under the microscope. Small Cell Lung Cancer (Oat cell lung cancer): This cancer often starts in the bronchi (major airways). Small cell cancers …

What is a tube thoracostomy? In a tube thoracostomy (chest drainage), pleural fluid, air, blood, and pus are removed from the pleural cavity. A tube thoracostomy, also known as open chest drainage, is a surgical procedure to drain the collection of pleural fluid, air, blood, or pus from your pleural cavity through a tube inserted in your chest. The pleural …

What is ventilator management? There are six major types of ventilator support including continuous mandatory ventilation to noninvasive ventilation. Intubation is a procedure performed when the patient is unable to breathe by themselves. It may be a life-saving procedure in the emergency room (ER) or planned during the surgery when the patient is under general anesthesia.  The doctor inserts a …

What is tube thoracostomy? Tube thoracostomy is a chest drain used to remove fluid from around the lungs, easing pressure on breathing. Tube thoracostomy, also known as open chest drainage, is a surgical procedure to drain the collection of pleural fluid, air, blood, or pus from the pleural cavity through a tube inserted in your chest. The pleural cavity is …

Smoker's lung introduction Picture of normal airway and lung Cigarette smoking is associated with a wide variety of abnormalities throughout the body that cause not only illness, but also, all too often, death. Indeed, if all deaths from diseases related to smoking (lung disease, heart disease, and cancers of many different organs) were considered, a case could be made for …

What is end-tidal capnography? The end-tidal capnography is used by emergency physicians and paramedics to determine the respiration of the patient. End-tidal capnography or end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) monitoring is a non-invasive technique that measures the partial pressure or maximal concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) at the end of an exhaled breath. The normal values are 5-6% CO2, which is equivalent …

What is thoracentesis? Thoracentesis is a bedside medical procedure used to drain fluid from the space between your chest wall and lungs (the pleural cavity).  Your lungs are enclosed in a two-layered covering called the pleura. There is a thin space between the two layers of the pleura called the pleural space that contains a small amount of fluid called …

What is the diaphragm muscle? Plication of the diaphragm muscle sutures the organ tightly in position inside the rib cage to treat breathing difficulties. Diaphram malfunction or deformity may result from congenital problems or a malfunctioning phrenic nerve. A diaphragm is a primary muscle that helps in respiration (breathing process). This dome-shaped muscle is located just below the lungs and …