Respiratory System Pt. 3 - Lower Respiratory System Flashcards
What divides the upper and lower respiratory system?
Vocal folds
What is the trachea formed by and connected with?
Formed by many cartilaginous tubes and connected with ligamentous membrane
At which point does the trachea start to split?
At the level of the sternal angle (between manubrium and body of sternum)
Known as the Location of Carina
What do the trachea split into initially?
Right and Left main bronchus
What are the lobar bronchi? Where are they and how many?
The lobar bronchi is located inferior to the main bronchus & there are 2 lobar on the left while there are 3 on the right due to how many lobes there are on each side
Why is the right lung larger than the left lung?
The left lung has to accomodate for the heart that sits more towards it which is why there is a big space if you were to remove the heart
In the image, the right main bronchus points more inferiorly while the left main bronchus points more horizontally. From a clinical perspective why would this be bad?
Since the RMB points more inferiorly, it is easier for infections to travel straightdown the lobes into the lungs while it is harder for the infection to travel through the LMB because of the sharp turns
The lobar bronchi divide into segmental bronchi into bronchioles and finally into terminal bronchi. What is different about them?
The more and more branches they form and the smaller they get the more they divide
At the terminal bronchioles what do they turn into?
Respiratory bronchioles (end of terminal bronchioles) but more or so this ends up at the level of the alveoli where gas exchange occurs
What are the alveoli?
Contain alveolar sacs and are very thin-walled sacs; gas exchange takes place
On the terminal bronchiole before the alveoli there are two branches. What are those two branches?
Pulmonary arteriole and pulmonary venule
Where are the pulmonary venule and pulmonary arteriole located?
Closer to the alveolar sacs
- Carbon dioxide diffuses out of bloodstream through capillaries into the alveoli and out the body
- Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the pulmonary veins via the capillaries into the bloodstream to go to the left atrium
What are the two layers that cover the lung?
Parietal pleura (Outer layer) and visceral pleura (inner layer)
Commonly referred to as serous membranes
What are the pleural cavity?
The space between the parietal and visceral pleura which houses the fluid that both serous membranes produce
Provides space for the lungs to expand into when inhaling
What is the root of the lung?
A collection of structures that enter the lungs and it is where the parietal and visceral pleura meet
What is the hilum with in terms of the root of the lungs?
If all the structures that entered the root were removed that area is considered the hilum
Hilum is the spot where the root of the lung (lobar bronchi, pulmonary veins/arteries, main bronchi, etc.) enter
What are the lobes divided by?
Fissures
- Oblique fissure on the right lung divides the superior and inferior lobe as well as middle and inferior
- Horizontal fissue on the right lung divides the superior and middle lobes
- Left lung has the oblique fissure that divide the only two lobes which are superior and inferior
