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Atelectasis
Merck Manuals
Related terms:
cystic fibrosis
hemoptysis
pulmonary hypertension
lung abscess
lung disease
lung neoplasm
pneumonia
pulmonary edema
pulmonary embolism
Pathologic Function
atelectasis Audio
at·e·lec·ta·sis [ at-l-ek-tuh-sis ]
Subclass of:
Lung diseases
Etymology:
Greek ateles = imperfect + ektasis = expansion
Definitions related to atelectasis:
  • Collapse of all or part of a lung due to bronchial plugging or the chest cavity being opened to atomspheric pressure.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Collapse of part of a lung associated with absence of inflation (air) of that part.
    Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)
    The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
  • Failure of the lung to expand (inflate) completely. This may be caused by a blocked airway, a tumor, general anesthesia, pneumonia or other lung infections, lung disease, or long-term bedrest with shallow breathing. Sometimes called a collapsed lung.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The collapse of alveoli and small airways.
    NICHD Pediatric Terminology
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The collapse of part or the entire lung due to airway obstruction, infection, tumor, or general anesthesia.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The partial or total collapse of alveoli and/or airways.
    CDISC Terminology
    Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC), 2021
  • (collapsed lung) A collapsed lung happens when air enters the pleural space, the area between the lung and the chest wall. If it is a total collapse, it is called pneumothorax. If only part of the lung is affected, it is called atelectasis. Causes of a collapsed lung include Lung diseases such as pneumonia or lung cancer; Being on a breathing machine; Surgery on the chest or abdomen; A blocked airway. If only a small area of the lung is affected, you may not have symptoms. If a large area is affected, you may feel short of breath and have a rapid heart rate. A chest x-ray can tell if you have it. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
    MedlinePlus
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • (pulmonary atelectasis) Absence of air in the entire or part of a lung, such as an incompletely inflated neonate lung or a collapsed adult lung. Pulmonary atelectasis can be caused by airway obstruction, lung compression, fibrotic contraction, or other factors.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • A disorder characterized by the collapse of part or the entire lung.
    Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events
    U.S. National Institutes of Health, 2021
  • Atelectasis is collapse of lung tissue with loss of volume. Patients may have dyspnea or respiratory failure if atelectasis is extensive. They may also develop pneumonia. Atelectasis is usually asymptomatic, but hypoxemia and pleuritic chest pain may be present in certain cases. Diagnosis is by chest x-ray. Treatment includes maintaining...
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
  • Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) is a complete or partial collapse of the entire lung or area (lobe) of the lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or possibly filled with alveolar fluid.
    Mayo Clinic
    Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
  • Atelectasis, derived from the Greek words atel?s and ektasis, literally meaning "incomplete expansion" in reference to the lungs. The term atelectasis can also be used to describe the collapse of a previously inflated lung, either partially or fully, because of specific respiratory disorders. There...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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