Atelectasis is a potentially life-threatening situation where a section of the lung collapse, usually with thick secretions. Sometime bronchoscopy is needed to clear the secretions.  In this article from 1951, surgeons both treated and prevented atelectasis post-operatively, after several different types of surgery, by using 1-2 grams of iodine (as sodium iodide) intravenously, several times a days for several days.  NaI is 70% iodine, 2 grams of sodium iodide provides 1400 mg or about 10,000 times the RDA of iodine.

the-prevention-and-treatment-of-atelectasis.1951