Respiratory Flashcards
what are the landmarks for auscultation?
cardiac - between ribs 3 and 6
lungs - cranioventral and caudo/dorsal thorax
what is a common area to hear aspiration pneumonia?
the cranioventral aspect of the lungs
what is the equipment needed to intubation?
endotracheal tubes and laryngoscope
what is the purpose of an endotracheal tube?
it permits air to pass freely to and from the lungs in order to ventilate the lungs; they provide artificial respiration; and they prevent aspiration of the GI contents for patient’s that have fasted prior to anesthesia
what are the two types of endotracheal tubes?
cuffed and uncuffed
what are the two types of laryngoscopes?
the miller, which is a straight blade, and the mcintosh, which is a curved blade
what kind of secondary injury can be sustained from intubation?
subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, aspiration pneumonia
what is subcutaneous emphysema?
gas or air under the skin results when there is excess pressure of the endotracheal tube and there is improper manipulation of the tube during anesthesia
what is pneumothorax?
secondary to SQ emphysema, its an abnormal collection of air or gas in the pleural space that causes an uncoupling of the lung from the chest wall
what is aspiration pneumonia?
secondary to improper cuff inflation, subjecting the patient to aspiration
what is the equipment needed for anesthesia monitoring?
esophageal stethoscope, pulse oximeter, capnography, blood pressure monitor
what is an esophageal stethoscope?
a probe that goes into the chest until the heart and lungs can be ausculted
what is a pulse oximeter?
used to monitor HR and oxygen saturation, SpO2; best used on thin, un-pigmented tissue and it may give poor readings if a patient is hypothermic, CPR may make readings inaccurate due to the spontaneous circulation
what is oxygen saturation?
the fraction of oxygen-saturated hemoglobin relative to total hemoglobin (unsaturated + saturated) in the blood
what is capnography?
used to monitor HR, and also the monitoring of the concentration or partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO. 2) in the respiratory gases; CPR does not interfere with readings, it can identify a circuit leak and also confirm patient intubation
what are the two different ways to monitor blood pressure?
manual and oscillometric
what is oscillometric blood pressure monitoring?
a patient cuff is attached to equipment that automatically reads systolic, mean, and average pressure in addition to HR by inflating and deflating the cuff at cyclical intervals
what is a doppler probe?
used for manual blood pressure monitoring, a probe is placed on the extremity of a patient, sound travel is facilitated by water soluble gel on skin where doppler probe is placed, the location of an artery is indicated by the doppler audio
what does manual blood pressure monitoring include?
a doppler probe, a blood pressure cuff, and a sphygmomanometer
where is a blood pressure cuff placed?
around a limb, proximal to where the doppler probe is on the pulse, the cuff tube should be adjacent to distally pointed cuff tube and the tubing is directed distally on the leg
where is the sphygmomanometer placed?
it is attached to the BP cuff; the cuff is inflated by the sphyg until the doppler audio disappears, pressure is then gradually released from the cuff, as the pulse returns, the pressure indicated on the sphyg as the pulse returns can be used to determine the patient’s average, systolic and diastolic BP
what is aspiration?
a condition in which food, liquids, saliva, or vomit is breathed into the airways
what is the primary function of the respiratory system?
swapping oxygen for carbon dioxide
what are the secondary functions of the respiratory system?
voice production, body temperature regulation, acid-base regulation, and sense of smell
what is the difference between breathing and respiration?
breathing is the process of drawing air into the lungs and blowing it back out, respiration is the process of bringing O2 from the outside air in to all of the body’s cells and carrying CO2 out in the opposite direction
what is external respiration?
it occurs in the lungs and is the exchange of O2 and CO2 between air inhaled into the lungs and the blood flowing through the pulmonary capillaries
what is internal respiration?
how the body’s cells receive the oxygen they need and get rid of the waste carbon dioxide they produce
how is inhaled air warmed, humidified and filtered as it passes through the nasal passages?
the turbinates increase the surface area of the nasal lining; the air is warmed by the blood flowing through the complex of blood vessels just beneath the nasal epithelium, which is humidified by the mucus and other fluids that lie on the epithelial surface
how does the pharynx and larynx work together to keep swallowed material from entering the trachea?
when the animal swallows, the epiglottis covers the glottis, which is the opening of the trachea, like a trap door to keep swallowed material out of the larynx and helps direct it dorsally into the opening of the esophagus
how is the larynx involved in the straining process that aids functions such as defecation?
straining begins with the animal holding the glottis closed while applying pressure to the thorax with the breathing muscles, this stabilizes the thorax and allows the abdominal muscles to compress the abdominal organs effectively
what are the parts of the upper respiratory tract?
nostrils, nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, and trachea
what are the parts of the lower respiratory tract?
bronchi, bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli
why are the hyaline cartilage rings important to the function of the trachea?
they prevent the trachea from collapsing each time the animal inhales
how does the alveoli and the capillaries facilitate the exchange of gases between air in the alveoli and blood in the capillaries?
the two thin layers of the alveoli and the capillaries allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to freely diffuse back and forth between the air and the blood; surfactant helps reduce the surface tension of the fluid
what is the hilus of the lung and why is it important?
the hilus is a small, well-defined area on the medial side of each lung where air, blood, lymph, and nerves enter and leave the lung, it is the only area of the lung that is fastened in place
what is the mediastinum and what organs and structures are located there?
the area between the lungs that contains most of the rest of the thoracic contents: the heart, large blood vessels, nerves, trachea, esophagus, and lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes
which main pulmonary blood vessel contains bright red high oxygen blood?
the pulmonary vein
why are smooth pleural surfaces important to the process of breathing?
these surfaces are lubricated with pleural fluid and ensure that the surfaces of the organs, particularly the lungs, slide smoothly along the lining of the thorax during breathing
why is negative intrathoracic pressure important to breathing?
the pressure within the thorax is negative with respect to atmospheric pressure and creates a partial vacuum within the thorax, that partial vacuum pulls the lungs tightly out against the thoracic wall, as the thoracic wall goes, so go the lungs; the lungs follow passively as movements of the thoracic wall and diaphragm alternately enlarge and reduce the volume of the thorax
what happens if negative pressure is lost?
without negative pressure, the lungs would collapse and not be able to fill, in addition, blood return to the heart would be decreased
what are the main muscles of inspiration?
the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles
what are the main muscles of expiration?
internal intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles
how does oxygen move from air in the alveoli into the blood in the alveolar capillaries?
as low-oxygen, high–carbon-dioxide blood circulates right next to an alveolus containing high-oxygen, low–carbon-dioxide air, oxygen diffuses from the alveolar air (area of high concentration) into the blood of the alveolar capillary (area of low concentration)
how does carbon dioxide move from the blood in the alveolar capillaries to the air in the alveoli?
as carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood (area of high concentration) into the alveolus (area of low concentration)
how does the mechanical respiratory system maintain a normal, rhythmic, resting breathing pattern?
the voluntary respiratory muscles are controlled by nerve impulses from a subconscious part of the brain located in the medulla oblongata
what is the basic difference between the functions of the mechanical and chemical respiratory control systems?
the mechanical system sets routine inspiration and expiration limits, and the chemical system monitors the levels of certain substances in the blood and directs adjustments in breathing if they get out of balance
when does the chemical respiratory control system kick in and override the mechanical control system?
chemical receptors in blood vessels (the carotid and aortic bodies located in the carotid artery and aorta, respectively) and in the brain stem constantly monitor CO2, pH, and O2 in the blood
what color is the blood running through the pulmonary artery?
dark red due to the low amount O2 and the high amount of CO2
what color is the blood in the pulmonary vein?
bright red due to the high amount of O2 and the low amount of CO2
what is a major cause of acidosis?
too much CO2 in the respiratory system
what is the largest portion of the bronchial tree?
the bronchi
where does gas exchange take place?
the lower airways
what happens if the CO2 level in blood is increased?
the blood ph is decreased, which triggers the respiratory center to increase rate and depth of respiration
what happens if the CO2 level in blood is decreased?
the blood ph is increased, which triggers the respiratory center in the brain to decrease the rate and depth of respiration
