Tag Archives: lungs

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 …

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 …

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 …

What are lung segmentectomy and limited pulmonary resection? A lung segmentectomy is the removal of diseased lung, often due to lung cancer. A lung segmentectomy is a procedure to remove the diseased lung without removing excess normal lung. Certain diseases, such as lung cancer, may require removal of the part of the lungs to limit the spread of cancer in …

What is medical thoracoscopy? Medical thoracoscopy is a procedure that helps a physician view the chest cavity and the lungs by inserting an endoscope/thoracoscope (camera with light source) through the chest wall. Thoracoscopy may be performed as a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. It is also called a pleuroscopy.   Medical thoracoscopy shows a doctor a view of the chest cavity and lungs …

What is a laryngeal mask airway (LMA)? A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) allows ventilation, oxygenation, and anesthesia without needing a tube in the windpipe. A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is a device inserted into the area behind the mouth and nose, connecting them to the food pipe (the pharynx) to allow ventilation, oxygenation, and administration of anesthetic gases, without the …

What does percutaneous transtracheal jet ventilation mean? Percutaneous transtracheal jet ventilation is a procedure to insert a needle into the trachea and pump in high-pressure air to breathe for the patient. It avoids some problems of naso-tracheal intubation and is less invasive than a tracheostomy (surgical breathing hole in the throat). Percutaneous transtracheal jet ventilation (PTJV) is a procedure to …