[Atelectasis: mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment in the pediatric patient].
OBJECTIVE
To review the literature about mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of atelectasis in the pediatric patient.


METHODS
An electronic data search was carried out in Medline and Scielo using the following inclusion criteria for articles published between 1960 and 2007 about: atelectasis etiology, physiopathology, functional consequences, evaluation, prevention, treatment and complications, in pediatrics. The used key words were atelectasis, children, pediatrics, mucus plugs, chest physiotherapy;


RESULTS
45 pulmonary atelectasis articles were analyzed, 17 of them in pediatrics. Of the pediatric, 13 were case series, 3 literature reviews and one a case report. This demonstrates that there were few articles on atelectasis during the reviewed period and that these articles were at the D and E evidence level.


CONCLUSIONS
No clinical trials were performed to identify s the most efficient treatment for atelectasis in the pediatric patient. Although clinical practice for treatment of atelectasis has evolved, mostly due to improvement of bronchoscopy and chest physiotherapy techniques, there is still a need to perform randomized clinical trials to address treatment of atelectasis in the pediatric patient.
Johnston
Cíntia
C
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, SP. cintiajohnston@terra.com.br
Carvalho
Werther Brunow de
WB
D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control