Respiratory Flashcards
What are the functions of the nose?
Temperature of inspired air
Humidity (75-80%)
Filter function
Defence (Cilia take inhaled particulates
Where do the anterior nares (nostrils) open into?
vestibule
How is the surface area of the nose increased?
Turbinates (rounded shelves)
What are the three types of meatus?
Superior
Middle
Inferior
Describe the properties of the superior meatus
Has olfactory epithelium
Olfactory nerve penetrates through superior meatus via pores in the cribriform plate
Sphenoid sinus drains here
Describe the properties oft the middle meatus
Sinuses drain here
Describe the properties of the inferior meatus
Nasolacrimal duct drains here
Define what the paranasal sinuses are?
Pneumatised areas (Bone that is hollow or contains air cells) of the frontal, ethmoid,. sphenoid and maxillary bones that are arranged in pairs
Draw a diagram to show the location of the paranasal sinuses
See diagrams I should know
Describe the location and the innervation of the frontal sinus
Located within in the frontal bone and lies above the orbit
Innervated by the ophthalmic division (V1) of the trigeminal nerve
Describe the location of the maxillary sinus
Located within the body of the maxilla where the base is the lateral wall of the nose, roof is the floor of the orbit, apex is the zygomatic process of the maxilla and floor is the alveolar process (Pyramidal shape)
Opens into the middle meatus
What is the innervation of the maxillary sinus
Maxillary division (V2) of the trigeminal nerve
Describe the location and the innervation of the ethmoid sinus
Between the eyes and is a labyrinth of air cells
Semilunar hiatus of middle meatus
Innervation by the ophthalmic and maxillary branches of trigeminal nerve
Describe the location of the sphenoid sinuses
Medial to the carvenous sinus (which contains internal carotid artery, oculomotor nerve, trochlear, trigeminal and abducens
Inferior to optic canal, dura and pituitary gland
Empties into sphenoethmoidal recess lateral to the attachment of the nasal septum
What is the innervation of the sphenoid sinus
Ophthalmic division off the trigeminal nerve
What epithelium lines the pharynx
Squamous and columnar ciliated epithelium with mucus glands
Where does the pharynx extend from and what parts does it consist of?
Fibromuscular tube running from the skull base to C6 where it becomes continuous with the oesophagus
consists of nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
What Is the function of the larynx?
Valvular function which prevents liquids and foods from entering the lung
Describe the cartilaginous structure of the larynx
Consists of 9 cartilages 3 paired (Cuneiform, corniculate and arytenoid) 3 unpaired (Epiglottis, thyroid, cricoid
What two larynx cartilages interact to change the vocal cords?
Arytenoid cartilages rotate on the cricoid cartilages
Where would you carry out a tracheotomy?
Cricothyroid membrane
Which nerves innervate the larynx
Vagus Nerve
What does the the recurrent laryngeal nerve innervate
All the motor innervation for all laryngeal muscles except cricothyroid
What does the superior laryngeal nerve innervate
Divides into internal (for sensation to larynx) and external (motor innervation to cricothyroid muscle)
Describe the pathway of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve
Runs laterally to the arch of the aorta, loops under the aortic arch then ascends between the trachea and the oesophagus
Describe the pathway of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve
Loops under the right subclavian artery and runs up in the plane between the trachea and the oesophagus
What symptom would ulcers/tumours on or near the pathway of the recurrent laryngeal nerve cause?
Hoarse voice
What is the function of the lower respiratory tract?
Gas exchange
Define and give an approximation of minute ventilation
Volume of air inhaled/exhaled in a minute (approx 5 litres)
Describe the structure of the trachea
From larynx to carina (C6-T5) - oval in cross section
Contains semi-circular (C-shaped)(absent posteriorly) hyaline cartilages connected by tracheal muscle that increases flexibility
What epithelium lines the trachea
Pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells
The carina lies at what spinal level?
T5
Describe the structure of the main bronchus
Left and right main bronchus divided by the carina
right main bronchus is more vertically disposed (1-2.5cm long (related to pulmonary artery)
Left main bronchus is longer (5cm) and less vertical (Related to aortic arch)
Which main bronchus is a peanut more likely to get stuck in
Right main bronchus because the right is more vertically disposed and shorter
What does the right lobar bronchi consist of
Upper lobe
Middle lobe
Lower lobe
What does the left lobar bronchi consist of?
Upper lobe and lingual
Lower lobe
How many segmental branches on the right are there
10
How many segmental branches on the left are there
8
Describe the pathway of the trachea and the bronchioles
Trachea, L/R main bronchus, Lobar bronchia, segmental bronchia, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and finally alveoli
What are interconnections between alveoli known as
Pores of Kohn
Define acinus
Tissue supplied with air by one terminal bronchiole
What are the constituents of alveoli
Type I pneumocytes Type II Pneumocytes (Secrete surfactant) Alveolar macrophage Basement membrane Interstitial tissue capillary endothelial cells
Describe the innervation of the lungs
Pulmonary plexus lies behind each hilum - receives innervation from vagus nerves and T2-4 of sympathetic trunk
Sympathetic innervation of the lung results in
Bronchodilation
Parasympathetic innervation of the lung results in
Bronchoconstriction
Describe the pleura of the lungs
2 layers of mesodermal origin
Visceral-lung surface - only has autonomic innervation
Parietal - internal chest - has pain sensation via phrenic nerve
Small amount of fluid in between
Describe the blood supply of the lung
Bronchial and pulmonary
L/R pulmonary run to right ventricle and have 17 orders of branching
Bronchus and pulmonary arteries run together via the bronchovascular bundle
Define transpulmonary pressure
Difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the lung (Alveolar pressure - intrapleural pressure)
Define intrapleural pressure
Pressure inside the pleural space - intrathoracic pressure
Define alveolar pressure
Air pressure in pulmonary alveoli
What are the muscles of inspiration
Quiet breathing and diaphragm (C3/4/5)
External intercostals
What are the muscles of expiration
Passive process due to quiet breathing
Describe the process of inspiration
External intercostal muscles and diaphragm due to phrenic nerve from C3/4/5.
- Diaphragm contracts causing the dome to move downwards, thereby enlarging the thorax (Increased volume)
- Simultaneously, activation of motor neurones in the intercostal nerves to the external intercostal muscles causes them to contract resulting in upward and outward movement of ribs further increasing volume
- As thorax expands, intrapleural pressure is lowered and transpulmonary pressure becomes more positive resulting in lung expansion as force causing lung expansion is greater than elastic recoil
- Lung expansion causes alveolar pressure to become more negative
- Causes inward flow of air
Describe the process of expiration during quiet breathing
- motor neurones to intercostal nerves and diaphragm decrease firing so muscles relax and diaphragm ascends thus decreasing thoracic volume
- As they relax, lungs and chest walls collapse passively due to elastic recoil as intrapleural pressure increases causing transpulmonary presure to decrease below elastic recoil pressure
- As lungs become smaller the air in the alveoli becomes compressed resulting in an increase in external intercostal pressure above atmospheric pressure so air flows outwards
Describe the process of forced expiration that occurs during exercise
- On top of passive expiration the internal intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus and external abdominal obliques) contract
- This causes the ribs to move downwards and inwards, actively decreasing thoracic volume. Abdominal muscle contraction causes further increase in intra-abdominal pressure forcing the diaphragm further into the thorax further decreasing thoracic volume
- Results in greater than normal volume of air being expired
What is the airway of greatest resistance?
The trachea because it has a smaller surface area than all the bronchioles combined meaning it provides the greatest resistance
Define dead space
Volume of air not contributing to ventilation
What is the volume of the physiological dead space?
175mls in total in the lungs
150mls anatomically and 25mls in alveoli
Where does gas exchange occur?
Between the alveoli and the capillaries
How many layers must O2 diffuse through to cross from alveoli to the capillaries
7 layers
- Alveolar epithelium
- Tissue interstitium
- Capillary endothelium
- Plasma layer
- Red cell membrane
- Red cell cytoplasms
- Hb binding
What is required for each alveolus to be as efficient as possible?
The correct proportion of alveolar air Flow (ventilation) and capillary blood flow (perfusion) - any mismatch is called ventilation perfusion inequality
What is the main effect of a ventilation perfusion mismatch?
Decreased partial pressure of O2 in the systemic blood
Describe ventilation perfusion inequality in healthy individuals
inequality enough to reduce the arterial Po2 by 5mmHg due to gravitational effects as in upright position there is increased filling of blood vessels at the bottom of the lung which contributes to differences in blood-flow distribution so on average PO2 in alveoli is 5mmHg higher than in partial blood
What consequences of disease can cause a ventilation perfusion mismatch?
Regional changes in compliance, airway resistance and vascular resistance
What are the two extremes of ventilation perfusion mismatch?
Ventilated alveoli with no blood supply due to blood clot or adequate blood flow through the lung but no ventilation due to collapsed alveoli
Describe what happens during local homeostatic hypoxic pulmonary constriction?
Decrease in ventilation in alveoli leads to decrease in alveolar PO2 and in surrounding blood vessels. This decrease in PO2 leads to vasoconstriction to deliver the blood away from poorly ventilated areas - unique to pulmonary arterial vessels
What is PaCO2
Arterial Co2
What is PACO2
Alveolar Co2
What is PaO2
Arterial O2
What is PAO2
Alveolar O2
What is PIO2
Pressure of inspired O2
What is VA
Alveolar ventilation
What is VCO2
CO2 production
What is the structure of the haemoglobin molecule?
Four subunits (globin) with each subunit containing a heme group which contains an Iron atom to which oxygen can bind
How many molecules of oxygen can a single Hb molecule bind?
4
What are the two forms that Hb can exist as?
Oxyhaemoglobin
Deoxyhaemoglobin
What is the value of systemic arterial PO2
100mmHg
What is the value of systemic venous PO2
40mmHg
Describe the oxygen dissociation curve
As PO2 increases the HB saturation will increase rapidly so that Hb saturation is at 90% at PO2 of 60mmHg. After this point, increases in PO2 will cause a small increase in Hb saturation
How many lobes does the right lobar bronchi have?
3
What are the 3 lobes of the right lobar bronchi?
Upper
Middle
Lower
How many physical lobes does the right lung have?
3
How many lobes does the left lung have?
2
What 3 qualities are required for efficient gas exchange to occur?
Large surface area
Minimal diffusion distance
Adequate perfusion
Describe what happens during local bronchoconstriction
Decrease blood flow in region means less systemic CO2 which means reduced PCO2 so bronchoconstriction occurs to divert airflow to areas with better perfusion
What does a shift in the oxygen dissociation curve to the left mean?
Hb has more affinity for oxygen
What does a shift in the oxygen dissociation curve to the right mean?
Hb has less affinity for oxygen