In the post-operative period, the patient developed
basal atelectasis and pneumonia, which was treated with antibiotics and aggressive chest physiotherapy.
Factors taken into account in Outcome of Management: Healed and discharged, Death, Paralytic Ileus, Wound infection, Wound dehiscence, Burst Abdomen, Sinus or fistula, Residual abscess, DVT, Pulmonary
Basal Atelectasis.
Caption: Figure 1: Chest X-ray showing hypoinflated lung fields, with
basal atelectasis and elevated hemidiaphragms.
Reactive bibasal pleural effusions and
basal atelectasis were also demonstrated.
Basal atelectasis along with irregularity of right diaphragm margins adjacent to the segment VIII noted (Figure-1).
This patient had a high risk for early postoperative respiratory failure resulting from
basal atelectasis caused by pain and inability to clear secretions on a background of chronic obstructive airway disease.
CT scan of abdomen showed mild hepatomegaly, bulky pancreas with peripancreatic fatty strands, bulky uterus (postpartum status), mild ascites and bilateral pleural effusion with
basal atelectasis. 2D Echo showed normal study.
A CT thorax showed no intra-luminal filling defect along the main pulmonary arteries, but
basal atelectasis with minimal bilateral pleural effusions.