CEA Nursing Practice Exam

After an appendectomy, a patient reports dull percussion sounds over the thorax. This finding is indicative of what condition?

1. Left-sided heart failure

2. Chronic bronchitis

3. Atelectasis

4. Healthy patient with no coexisting disease

The correct answer is: Atelectasis

Dull percussion sounds over the thorax can indicate the presence of fluid or a solid mass within the lungs or pleural space. In this case, after an appendectomy, the reporting of dull sounds is indicative of atelectasis, which is the collapse of a part or all of a lung. This condition can commonly occur postoperatively due to shallow breathing, reduced lung expansion, or mucus plug formation, particularly in patients who have undergone abdominal surgery where pain can lead to limited movement and coughing. Atelectasis leads to less air in the lung tissue, resulting in the dullness that is noted during percussion. This is more pronounced when compared to normal resonance sounds found in healthy lung tissue. Therefore, the presence of dull sounds is a clinical indicator of atelectasis and warrants further investigation and potentially therapeutic interventions to facilitate lung expansion and improve oxygenation.