The nurse working on a medical/surgical floor knows that pulmonary embolisms can be a deadly complication after surgery.Which of the following patients is most likely to develop a pulmonary embolism?

A) 45-year-old patient after bariatric surgery
B) 23-year-old patient with pneumonia
C) 13-year-old patient after appendectomy
D) 57-year-old patient after cholecystectomy

Question

The nurse working on a medical/surgical floor knows that pulmonary embolisms can be a deadly complication after surgery.Which of the following patients is most likely to develop a pulmonary embolism?

A) 45-year-old patient after bariatric surgery
B) 23-year-old patient with pneumonia
C) 13-year-old patient after appendectomy
D) 57-year-old patient after cholecystectomy

jansen kiffe · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : A, Explanation :  A patient who is obese usually has reduced ventilatory capacity because of the upward pressure against the diaphragm caused by an enlarged abdomen.There is also an increased risk for aspiration during the administration of anesthesia.The recumbent and supine positions required on the operating bed (table)for surgery further limit a patient's ventilation.The increased workload of the heart and atherosclerotic blood vessels often results in compromised cardiovascular function.Because of these physiological changes,patients who are obese often have difficulty resuming normal physical activity after surgery.Hypertension,coronary artery disease,type 2 diabetes mellitus,and heart failure are common in this population.They are also more susceptible to developing embolism,atelectasis,and pneumonia after surgery than patients who are not obese.

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