Anatomy of breathing Flashcards
What are the 2 main sections of the respiratory tract?
Upper respiratory tract (URT)
Lower respiratory tract (LRT)
What marks the boundary between the upper and lower respiratory tract?
The body of the C6 vertebra
What structures are contained in the upper respiratory tract?
Nasal cavity
Oral cavity
Pharynx
Larynx
What structures are contained in the lower respiratory tract?
Trachea
Right and left main bronchi
Lobar bronchi
Segmental bronchi
Bronchioles
Alveoli
How many lobes does the left lung contain?
2 lobes
How many lobes does the right lung contain?
3 lobes
How many bronchopulmonary segments does each lung have?
10
What does the left lung contain instead of a middle lobe?
The lingula of the upper lobe
What are the 3 regions of the pharynx?
Nasopharynx
Oropharynx
Laryngopharynx (Hypopharynx)
What does the larynx become at the C6 vertebral body?
The trachea
What does the pharynx become at the C6 vertebral body?
The oesophagus
At what level does the trachea first bifurcate?
At the level of the sternal angle or T4/5 vertebra
What are the 3 lobes of the right lung?
Upper (Superior) lobe
Middle lobe
Lower (Inferior) lobe
What are the 2 lobes of the left lung?
Upper (Superior) lobe
Lower (Superior) lobe
Which fissure separates the inferior lobe from the superior (+Middle) lobe?
The oblique fissure
Which tissue separates the middle lobe from the superior lobe on the right lung?
Horizontal lobe
What is special about the bronchopulmonary segments?
Each segment has its own blood, nerve air supply and lymphatic drainage
What is the main tissue type that lines the bronchopulmonary tree?
Respiratory epithelium
What is the function of the cilia of the respiratory epithelium?
They sweep mucous as well as any foreign bodies up towards the pharynx, where it can be swallowed - Mucociliary escalator
How can toxins in cigarettes cause a cough?
They can dry out the mucosa or the bronchial tree which interfered with the action of the cilia, therefore causing a cough to try and remove the excess mucous
What is a wheeze?
The sound of air passing through a constructed airway
What happens to the amount of cartilage in the walls of the bronchial tree as you move down it?
The amount of cartilage decreases as you move down the bronchial tree, until the alveoli, where there is no cartilage to maximise diffusion
What is required to ensure that enough O2 and CO2 can diffuse between the alveolus and the blood?
Sufficient functioning lung tissue
Sufficiency O2 in the air we breathe in
Almost no CO2 in the air we breathe in
Minimal thickness of alveolar walls
Minimal tissue fluid in the tissue spaces around alveolar capillaries
What are some factors that prevent air moving freely in and out of the lungs?
Constriction of bronchioles (e.g. asthma)
Swelling of mucosa lining the inside of the respiratory tree and overproduction of mucous (e.g asthma)
A growing tumour that compresses the tract
Inhalation of foreign bodies that can stop breathing
What are the 2 sections of the wall dividing the left and right nasal cavities?
Bony part
Cartilaginous part
What forms the bony part of the wall dividing the left and right nasal cavities?
Perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone (Superiorly)
Vomer (Inferiorly)
What forms the floor of the nasal cavities?
The palate
What forms the roof of the nasal cavities?
the anterior cranial fossa
What are the 4 cartilages of the larynx?
Thyroid cartilage
Cricoid cartilage
2x Arytenoid cartilage
What is the area behind the epiglottis known as?
Vallecula
What is the way into the larynx known as?
The laryngeal inlet
What is the function of the epiglottis?
When food enters the mouth, it closes the epiglottis and prevents food moving into the larynx
Which cartilage forms the adam’s apple
Thyroid cartilage
What are the functions of the larynx?
Maintaining the patency of the URT
Prevents entry of foreign bodies into the URT
Production of sound via the vocal cords
Where are the vocal cords found?
Either side of the larynx, running between the thyroid cartilage anteriorly and the arytenoid cartilage posteriorly
What is the name of the narrowest part of the URT, between the vocal cords?
Rima Glottidis
What is the difference between phonation and articulation?
Phonation = Production of sound
Articulation = Production of speech
What are some problems that can arise if there is no movement of warm, moist, clean air into and out of our lungs?
Cooling and drying out of the respiratory tract can damage the mucociliary escalator and predisposes to infection
Breathing in foreign bodies can cause infection
What can be found on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?
3 small projections known as conchae
What are the 3 conchae of the nasal cavities?
Superior concha
Middle concha
Inferior concha