The drainage of fluid or air will avoid the occurrence of atelectasis or lung collapse. The procedure used to place the tube into the chest in known as a thoracotomy. This was due to the damaging effects of one of the bullets. Pulmonary edema is the abnormal accumulation of fluid outside the vascular space of the lung. This occurs because fluid is filtered into the lungs faster that it can be removed.
Pulmonary edema is classified as either high pressure or permeability pulmonary edema.
Permeability pulmonary edema results from an increased permeability of the pulmonary capillary membrane as seen in hemorrhage, trauma, and stroke. Fluid overload was determined in our patient by pressures measured through a pulmonary artery catheter. The PCWP is designed to measure the pressure in the left atrium. It can also be used to measure the tendency for an individual to develop hydrostatic pulmonary edema. Normal values for PCWP range from 4-12 mm Hg.