Symptoms
When a lung deflates (collapses), sometimes it will stay in that state, leading to a condition known as atelectasis. As the Merck Manual of Diseases notes, atelectasis can cause shortness of breath. The severity of the trouble breathing depends on how much of the lung is collapsed and how fast the disease progresses. For some patients, the initial collapse of the lung occurs on a small scale, so it is not noticeable to the patient. However, if large parts of the lung collapse or if the deflation progresses quickly, the patient's breath may rapidly become extremely short. In some cases, this loss of lung function can cause poor oxygenation of the blood, leading to fatigue and an increase in the patient's breathing rate and heartbeat.
Diagnosis
When a patient shows signs of a persistently collapsed lung, atelectasis may be suspected based on the patient's symptoms and the physical exam results. Progressive shortness of breath (particularly after chest trauma or a medical procedure done in the chest area) is a key diagnostic sign.
Patients with atelectasis may also have rapid breathing combined with a lack of chest congestion. Atelectasis can be definitively diagnosed via a chest x-ray (which will show parts of the lungs that are not filled with gas) or a bronchoscopy (in which a small flexible camera is passed through the airway and into the lungs).
Treatment
As Medline explains, if a collapsed lung will not stay inflated, the main goal of treatment is to treat the underlying cause of the condition. If the cause of the lung collapse is fluid in the chest cavity, then the fluid will be drained. Sometimes the physician will clap (percuss) the patient's chest to try to loosen any mucus that could be causing the lung collapse. If a foreign object is observed via x-ray, a surgeon may use a bronchoscope to remove the blockage. Alternately, the patient can be positioned so that the head is lower than the chest, which will help any mucus or other fluid drain out of the lungs.
