Discussion:
Case Study: Neck Injuries and Partial Paralysis of Limbs
A 22 year old woman was in a motor accident with resultant neck injuries that led to partial paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. Sher reports that almost immediately after her chest felt heavy. Doctors in the ER observed that she was dyspneic. Her pulmonary function values were:
vital capacity 650 ml
min vent vol-6L/min
respiratory rate 30 breaths/min
PaO2 61mmHg (arterial)
PaCO2 47 mmHg (arterial)
1. How would I go about finding these things?
2. Is there an equation to find tidal volume?
3. IS this person hyperventilatin, hypoventilating or normal?---related to what?
4. What is this persons pH --How would I find this?
5. How do I find the VQ ratio comared to normal?