The nurse is auscultating the lungs of a patient who had been sleeping and notices short, popping, crackling sounds that stop after a few breaths. What does this finding indicate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

One type of adventitious sound, atelectatic crackles, does not have a pathologic cause. They are short, popping, crackling sounds that sound similar to fine crackles but do not last beyond a few breaths. When sections of alveoli are not fully aerated (as in people who are asleep or in older adults), they deflate slightly and accumulate secretions. Crackles are heard when these sections are expanded by a few deep breaths. Atelectatic crackles are heard only in the periphery, usually in dependent portions of the lungs, and disappear after the first few breaths or after a cough. Although crackles can be a sign of pneumonia, this patient's crackles resolved after a few deep breaths which would not happen if there was pneumonia.

The Nurse Is Auscultating the Lungs of a Patient Who