Author: Jaroslav K. Usenko And Fun-Sun F. Yao

Case-Study

A 55-year-old man with cholelithiasis is scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He has a long history of asthma, has smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for the past 30 years, and reports dyspnea with moderate exertion (walking uphill). He sleeps on two pillows. There is no peripheral edema. Arterial blood gas (ABG) on room air shows the following: pH, 7.36; PCO₂, 60 mmHg; PO₂, 70 mmHg; and CO₂ content, 36 mEq per L.