atelectasis

atelectasis
n.
failure of part of the lung to expand. This occurs when the cells lining the air sacs (alveoli) are too immature, as in premature babies, and unable to produce the wetting agent (surfactant) with which the surface tension between the alveolar walls is overcome. It also occurs when the larger bronchial tubes are blocked from within by retained secretions, inhaled foreign bodies, or bronchial cancers, or from without by enlarged lymph nodes, such as are found in patients with tuberculosis and lung cancers. The lung can usually be helped to expand by physiotherapy and removal of the internal block (if present) via a bronchoscope, but prolonged atelectasis becomes irreversible.

The new mediacal dictionary. 2014.

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  • atelectasis — incomplete expansion of the lungs, 1836, medical Latin, from Gk. ateles imperfect, incomplete, lit. without an end, (from a , privative prefix, + telos completion ) + ektosis extention. Related: Atelectatic …   Etymology dictionary

  • atelectasis — [at΄ə lek′tə sis] n. pl. atelectases [at΄ə lek′təsēz΄] [ModL < Gr atelēs, incomplete ( < a , without + telos, end: see WHEEL) + ektasis, a stretching out < ek , out + teinein, to stretch: see THIN] the collapse of all or part of a lung …   English World dictionary

  • Atelectasis — DiseaseDisorder infobox Name = Atelectasis ICD10 = ICD10|J|98|1|j|95 ICD9 = ICD9|518.0 ICDO = Caption = OMIM = OMIM mult = MedlinePlus = 000065 eMedicineSubj = med eMedicineTopic = 180 DiseasesDB = 10940 MeshID = D001261 Atelectasis is a collapse …   Wikipedia

  • atelectasis — atelectatic /at l ek tat ik/, adj. /at l ek teuh sis/, n. Pathol. 1. incomplete expansion of the lungs at birth, as from lack of breathing force. 2. collapse of the lungs, as from bronchial obstruction. [1855 60; < NL; see ATELIOSIS, ECTASIS] * * …   Universalium

  • atelectasis — Decreased or absent air in the entire or part of a lung, with resulting loss of lung volume. Loss of lung volume itself. SEE ALSO: pulmonary collapse. [G. ateles, incomplete, + ektasis, extension] adhesive a. alveolar …   Medical dictionary

  • Atelectasis, secondary — Partial or complete collapse of a previously expanded lung. Secondary atelectasis may occur in a variety of situations including sometimes after chest surgery …   Medical dictionary

  • atelectasis — noun (plural atelectases) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek atelēs incomplete, defective (from a 2a + telos end) + ektasis extension, from ekteinein to stretch out, from ex + teinein to stretch more at telos, thin Date …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • atelectasis — noun The collapse of a part of or the whole lung caused by inner factors rather than a pneumothorax …   Wiktionary

  • atelectasis — n. collapse of the lungs (Medicine) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • atelectasis — [ˌatɪ lɛktəsɪs] noun Medicine partial collapse or incomplete inflation of the lung. Origin C19: from Gk atelēs imperfect + ektasis extension …   English new terms dictionary

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