A 70-year-old man who worked in a foundry for many years as a young adult sought care with complaints of progressive dyspnea, weight loss, and dry cough. Following an extensive diagnostic workup, the patient was diagnosed with silicosis.
This patient's signs and symptoms are the result of what pathophysiological process?
A) The formation of nodular lesions and eventual masses in the lungs
B) Carcinogenesis and the development of nonsmall cell lung tumors
C) Mechanical destruction of the alveolar walls and subsequent loss of perfusion
D) Inhibition of surfactant production and release
Question 2
During examination of his external ear, the patient tells the nurse that his ear is very painful when touched. The nurse recognizes that this finding is commonly associated with
a. a ruptured tympanic membrane.
b. a blocked eustachian tube.
c. infection of the mastoid bone.
d. inflammation of the ear canal.