atelectasis

And then just food for thought, uh, just about, um, some of the things that we also, um, serious health problems which can arise from bronchiectasis, such as respiratory failure, where there's not enough oxygen passing from the lungs into the blood.

Atelectasis, which is a medical term that we use in the hospital, which basically means that the lungs are not able to fully expand, and the bases of the lungs, where it usually happens, can collapse down a little bit, again, affecting gas exchange.

When the lungs are not, um, working effectively for a long period of time, this can then put strain on the heart, which can eventually lead to heart failure, which, um, leads to patients having shortness of breath, trouble breathing, tiredness, swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, abdomen, and, um, increased and visible veins in the neck.

Um, emphysema, um, or COPD, and then, um, collections of pus in the pleural cavity, which can need to be drained or be excised surgically, along with lung abscesses.