Question

Case:

A 3-month old baby was born prematurely. He presented with a respiration rate of 68 breaths per minute: blue lips, tongue, and nail beds; nasal flaring during breathing; inward movement of the thoracic cage and outward movement of the abdomen during inhalation. The baby has infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS), caused by too little surfactant.

Questions:

45. What type of cells in the respiratory system can produce the surfactant?

46. Explain how the presence of too little surfactant can affect the respiration of the patient?

47. What does the presence of blue lips, tongue and nail beds indicate?

Case:

An 8-year old girl has a cold. Her symptoms include achiness, sneezing and fatigue. Although she recovers from the cold, recurrent headaches and a stuffy nose lingers for several weeks. Upon examination, the doctor concludes that the patient has sinusitis, inflammation of the mucous membrane of a sinus.

Questions:

48. Explain how the inflammation of the mucous membrane affects the nose airway?

49. What type of cells can produce the mucus found in the nasal cavity?

Answer 1

CASE 1

ANS)

1.Surfactant is secreted by type 2 alveolar epithelial cells also called as pneumocytes

2. It forms an interphase between the fluid present in the alveoli and air in the alveoli which decreases the surface tension of the lungs.About 2/3 rd of collapsing tendency is reduced by surfactant and also helps in better lung compliance

3.Too less surfactant can cause collapse of the lung or breathing difficulties

4.Everything points to cyanosis.It is a condition where the patient has increase in the reduced hemoglobin levels.

CASE 2

Question 1)When the mucous membrane in inflamed it caused production of mucus which interferes with the nasal passage and hence causes breathing problems

Question 2)Goblet cells.