Loss of pulmonary surfactant in premature infant causes __________: (A) Pulmonary edema, (B) Collapse of alveoli, (C) Elastic recoil of lungs, (D) Emphysema
Answer is A. Surfactant dysfunction is a lung disorder that causes breathing problems. Without normal surfactant, the tissue surrounding the air sacs in the lungs (the alveoli) sticks together (because of a force called surface tension) after exhalation, causing the alveoli to collapse. Reference: GHAI Essential pediatrics, 8th edition