Anatomy of the respiratory system Flashcards
What supports and protects the trachea?
Stiff rings of cartilage
What consist of the lower respiratory tract?
Everything encased by the ribs and sternum
What is the pleural cavity?
The pleural cavity is the gap between the lungs and the rib cage laterally and the lungs and the diaphragm inferiorly
Which of the lungs is bigger and why?
Right lung is bigger as the left lung has room for the heart
What are the lobes of the right lung and what are they separated by?
Superior lobe, middle lobe, inferior lobe
The horizontal fissure separates the superior and middle lobe
The oblique fissure separates the middle and inferior lobe
What are the lobes of the left lung and what are they separated by?
Superior lobe and inferior lobe
Separated by an oblique fissure
How does the trachea split into the lungs?
Splits into left and right primary bronchi, which further split into superior, middle and inferior secondary bronchi.
Secondary bronchi then branch 22 times into bronchioles which terminate in a cluster of alveoli
How is the patency of the upper airway maintained?
C-shaped rings of cartilage
How is the patency maintained in the airway when the cartilage is lost and at what point does this occur?
Maintained by physical forces in thorax
Cartilage rings are lost at bronchioles
Where are aspirated foreign bodies more commonly lodged and why?
In the right bronchus as it is wider and articulated at a larger angle than the left so the trajectory is almost vertical
Where does the most resistance to airflow occur?
Top of the respiratory tree, i.e. trachea and bronchi
How can airway diameter be altered?
Activity of bronchi smooth muscle
Why is gas exchange in the lungs only possible at the alveoli?
They have very thin walls
What is the function of air in the upper airway and what is this air known as?
Conduction of air to and from alveoli
Air is known as anatomical dead space
What lines the respiratory tract?
Epithelium, glands, lymph nodes, blood vessels, cilia and mucous
