Which of the following types of patients are most often good candidates for alveolar recruitment maneuvers?

Patients who are post-surgical, have acute lung injury, pulmonary emphysema, or are experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome often benefit significantly from alveolar recruitment maneuvers.

Alveolar recruitment maneuvers are techniques used to improve lung expansion, enhance ventilation, and recruit collapsed or poorly aerated alveoli. This can be particularly beneficial in post-surgical patients, who may have atelectasis due to anesthesia or prolonged immobility. These maneuvers can also aid those with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as both conditions can involve impaired gas exchange and atelectasis.

Pulmonary emphysema is characterized by the destruction of alveolar walls, leading to poor elastic recoil and ventilation challenges. Alveolar recruitment maneuvers can help by improving overall lung inflation and facilitating gas exchange, even though the underlying pathology may pose limitations.

In contrast, patients with tuberculosis may not be ideal candidates for these maneuvers unless explicitly indicated. They may have extensive lung damage or involvement that could be exacerbated by such strategies. Therefore, while certain patients with tuberculosis might benefit in specific contexts, they generally do not represent the most common candidates for alveolar recruitment maneuvers when compared to the other conditions listed.

Thus,