Respiratory system >>>> Aspiration pneumonia

Aspiration pneumonia.

Aspiration pneumonia is a respiratory disease of the lungs in which pathogenic microorganisms enter the lung tissue by aspiration (inhalation) from the gastrointestinal tract or the oral cavity.

Conditionally pathogenic microflora that lives in the oral cavity or in the stomach is kept from large-scale reproduction by beneficial microflora or acid - alkaline environment as a counterweight. Accidentally entering the respiratory tract, the pathogen begins to multiply intensively in new environmental conditions, favorable due to the absence of competing microorganisms. This contributes to the formation of foci of infection in the lung tissue, forming abscesses.

Despite the fact that aspiration pneumonia is a rare disease, the causes of aspiration pneumonia are provoked by factors that are quite common in everyday life:

Reflux, when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the oral cavity and accidentally enter the respiratory tract, if the person is at this moment in a horizontal position;
Cases when a person choked while eating or drinking;
Convulsive syndrome caused by salivation and retraction of the tongue;
Pathologies of peristalsis of the esophagus, which naturally disrupt the movement of food into the stomach and provoke its entry into the respiratory tract;
Medical manipulations associated with general anesthesia (intubation);
Neurological diseases that interfere with the processes of swallowing.

Signs of aspiration pneumonia are similar to those of many lung diseases:

General malaise, weakness, sweating,
Subfebrile temperature,
Dry or foamy cough (blood, pus),
Possible back pain,
Chest pain,
Feeling of heaviness in the lungs when breathing,
Shortness of breath, shortness of breath,
Cyanosis.

On examination, an x-ray shows areas of fibrous tissue surrounding an abscess or foreign matter. During histological examination, elements of foreign substances (dietary fiber, fats, etc.) can be detected if aspiration pneumonia is the result of food entering the lungs.

Treatment of aspiration pneumonia depends on the antibiotic resistance of microorganisms found in the study of foci of infection, blood tests. Preliminary testing of the microflora of the lungs for sensitivity. The first-line drugs are cephalosporins, drugs when it is impossible to determine the sensitivity of microflora - Vancomycin, Meropenem. In difficult cases, drainage of abscessed lung foci, laparoscopic removal of foreign substances is performed. To improve health, oxygen therapy is performed. In severe aspiration pneumonia, mechanical ventilation is indicated.