atelectasis

views updated

atelectasis (at-ĕ-lek-tă-sis) n. failure of part of the lung to expand. This occurs when the cells lining the alveoli are immature, as in premature babies; it also occurs when the larger bronchial tubes are blocked by retained secretions, inhaled foreign bodies, bronchial cancers, or enlarged lymph nodes.

More From encyclopedia.com