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Case Study 15

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bibross75
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30 views2 pages

Case Study 15

Uploaded by

bibross75
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sammy, age 3 years, ate his dinner and then said his tummy hurt.

His mother suggested he lie


down in the adjacent room while his parents finished dinner. A few minutes later, they heard
Sammy vomiting. His mother rushed in to lift Sammy up. When vomiting ceased, they noticed
Sammy continued to cough and seemed to be choking. He was struggling to breathe and a
wheezing sound was obvious. It appeared that he had aspirated some vomitus. His parents
drove him to a nearby hospital for examination.

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the specific effects of aspirating vomitus on Sammy, including the probable
effects on his bronchi and lungs. Why might one lung be affected more than the other?

Aspiration of vomitus can result in a range of respiratory complications, including inflammation


and damage to the airways. In Sammy's situation, the vomitus he aspirated likely induced
irritation and inflammation in both his bronchi and lungs. The wheezing his parents are
observing is likely a consequence of the airways constricting due to inflammation, a
characteristic feature of asthma. Depending on the trajectory of the aspirated vomitus, it's
conceivable that one lung could be more affected than the other, particularly if the vomitus
entered only one bronchus. Additionally, the possibility exists that a narrower bronchus might
be more susceptible to blockage, leading to uneven effects between the lungs.

2. Discuss the pathophysiologic changes causing the signs and symptoms and any tests
required to clarify the effects on Sammy.

The signs and symptoms exhibited by Sammy are attributed to the inflammation and
constriction of his airways resulting from aspirating vomitus. To accurately diagnose Sammy,
the medical team may conduct various tests, including a chest X-ray, blood tests, or even a
bronchoscopy to examine the airways and eliminate any residual vomitus. Performing these
tests comprehensively will enable the medical team to diagnose Sammy accurately and provide
appropriate treatment.

3. Suggest some reasons for Sammy’s difficulty breathing and wheezing.

Sammy's difficulty breathing and wheezing are likely due to the narrowing of his airways, which
is usually a symptom of asthma. The aspiration of vomitus may have triggered an asthma
attack or worsened pre-existing, undiagnosed asthma. In addition to a possible asthma attack,
the presence of vomitus in Sammy's lungs would have further exacerbated the narrowing of his
airways, which explains his difficulty breathing along with the wheezing.

4. Discuss the potential complications of aspiration of vomitus.


Aspiration of vomit can cause complications like bacterial pneumonia, respiratory failure and
ARDS

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