Show notes
Postoperative hypoxemia on day one? Don’t immediately call it pneumonia—and definitely don’t blame every early postoperative fever on atelectasis.
In this episode, Chris and Mars break down postoperative atelectasis: why anesthesia, pain, splinting, immobility, and retained secretions cause alveolar collapse; the classic Chest X ray findings of volume loss; and the high-yield differences between atelectasis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and aspiration.
You’ll also learn why the traditional “atelectasis causes postoperative fever” teaching is questionable, how incentive spirometry should actually be used, when simple pulmonary hygiene is enough, and when persistent collapse should make you think about mucus plugging and bronchoscopy.
Perfect for medical students preparing for the Surgery Shelf Exam and anyone who wants to master postoperative pulmonary complications.
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