A clinical study is conducted in which patients who have undergone surgical procedures with intubation, mechanical ventilation, and general anesthesia are followed to determine the number and type of postoperative complications. The study group is found to have a higher incidence of pulmonary infections in the 2 weeks following their surgical procedure than patients who were not intubated and did not receive general anesthesia. Anesthesia is most likely to produce this effect via which of the following mechanisms?
The anesthetic gases tend to reduce the ciliary function of the respiratory epithelium that lines the bronchi. The mucociliary apparatus helps clear organisms and particulate matter that are inhaled into the respiratory tree. Macrophage function is not significantly affected by anesthesia. The levels of g-globulins in serum are not reduced by the effects of anesthesia. The anesthetic gases and induction drugs do not typically result in marrow failure with neutropenia. The exposure to anesthetic gases is not prolonged enough to produce squamous metaplasia, which most typically occurs in response to chronic irritation, as from cigarette smoke. The subglottic tracheal region, where the cuff of the endotracheal tube is located, can become eroded, but this is more likely to occur when intubation is prolonged for weeks.
Decreased ciliary function
Diminished macrophage activity
Hypogammaglobulinemia
Neutropenia
Respiration