Respiratory: Anatomy

Question 1

What are the components of the upper and lower respiratory tracts?

Answer 1

Upper: nasal cavity, mouth, pharynx
Lower: epiglottis, larynx, trachea, all of lungs, intercostal muscles and diaphragm.

Question 2

What is the difference between the conducting and respiratory zone?

Answer 2

The conducting zone (nasal cavity to bronchioles) transports air in and out of the lungs.
The respiratory zone (respiratory bronchioles to alveoli) is where the gaseous exchange takes place.

Question 3

What is the contents of the middle mediastinum?

Answer 3

Organs: Heart, pericardium, trachea and its bifurcation.
Vessels: asc aorta, pulmonary trunk, SVC
Nerves: left and right phrenic nerves, cardiac plexus
Lymphatics

Question 4

What is the resting expiratory level?

Answer 4

The relaxed position of lungs-thorax unit - when air has stopped going out of the lungs and has not yet gone into the lungs.
Any movement away from the REL requires muscles

Question 5

Which bronchus is a foreign object more likely to get lodged in?

Answer 5

The right bronchus is more vertical so foreign objects more likely to lodge due to gravity.

Question 6

How is cartilage arranged in the respiratory tract?

Answer 6

The trachea has a C shaped hyaline ring
The primary bronchi have a full cartilage ring
The terminal bronchi have cartilage arranged in irregular plates and islands
Bronchioles have no cartilage

Question 7

Which cell type produces surfactant?

Answer 7

Clara cells

Question 8

What are the surface markings of the pleura?

Answer 8

Apex is 2cm above medial 1/3 of clavicle
Reaches midline at sternal angle (2nd rib) and extends down midline to 4th rib
Left pleura then forms a notch and extends down to 6th rib and right extends down to 6th with no notch
Then crosses the mid-clavicular line at level of 8th rib
Cross mid-axillary line at level of 10th rib
Crosses 12th rib near vertebral column

(remember even numbers)

Question 9

What are the surface markings of the lung?

Answer 9

Same as the pleura except 2 ribs higher
Crosses mid-clavicular line at level of 6th rib
Crosses mid-axillary line at level of 8th rib
Crosses 10th rib near vertebral column

The notch in the left lung is a lot bigger than the notch in the pleura

Question 10

What are the surface markings of the lung fissures?

Answer 10

Oblique fissure common to both lungs:
Extends from the spine of T3 (roughly level with spine of scapula) along the medial border of scapula when arm is abducted

Transverse fissure of right lung:
Horizontal line from the sternum along the 4th rib