atelectasis
/ˌætəˈlɛktəsɪs/
noun
- A condition in which part or all of a lung collapses, so it cannot expand fully and take in air.
- After surgery, the patient developed atelectasis because he wasn't breathing deeply enough.
- Doctors used a breathing exercise device to help treat her atelectasis.
- A chest X-ray showed a small area of atelectasis in the lower left lung.
Synonyms