Why might a physician order a lung recruitment maneuver?

A lung recruitment maneuver is a deliberate technique used in mechanical ventilation to increase the surface area available for gas exchange in the lungs. This is particularly useful in patients who have collapsed alveoli, which can occur due to conditions such as atelectasis. By applying continuous positive airway pressure or increasing the pressure during inspiratory phases, this maneuver can help to reopen these collapsed or partially collapsed alveoli, thereby improving oxygenation within the patient's lungs. When alveoli are opened, the efficiency of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange is enhanced, which can lead to better overall respiratory function and improved arterial blood gas levels.

While options that suggest increasing or decreasing ventilatory or respiratory rates might be involved in general ventilation strategies, they do not specifically address the underlying issue of collapsed alveoli. The maneuver is not primarily aimed at preparing a patient for extubation; instead, it is a therapeutic approach used to enhance lung function and oxygenation in patients who are already on mechanical ventilation. Thus, the most appropriate and relevant choice here is indeed focused on the goal of improving oxygenation by targeting recruitment of collapsed alveoli.