Thorax and Lung Assessment Flashcards
Respiratory is divided into?
Upper and lower portions
- upper portion warms, moisturizes and transports air to lower portion
- lower portion is where oxygenation and ventilation occur
Three Main Compartments
- the mediastinum is the central compartment (heart, great vessels, lymph nodes, nerves and fat)
- other two contain the lungs
Phrenic Nerve
Innervates the diaphragms
Intercostal nerves
Innervate the intercostal muscles
Where does Arterial blood supply for the chest come from?
The thoracic aorta and the subclavian, brachial and axillary arteries
The two pulmonary arteries do what?
Carry deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to each lung (where gas exchange takes place)
Two pulmonary veins do what?
Return oxygenated blood to the left side of the heart for circulation to the rest of the body
Base
Refers to the very bottom of the lungs
Apex
Is the very top of the lungs
Inspection
- look for physical conditions
- patients in distress use accessory muscles
- looking for equal expansion
Crepitus
Cracklings or popping sound under skin due to air turbulence
Auscultation
- large airways the sound is louder and coarse
- small airways sound is soft and finer
- alternate from left to right
Fine Crackles
- small amounts of fluid in alveoli
- early crackles occur w/ obstructive disease
- late crackles associated w/ restrictive disease
Coarse Crackles
- small air bubbles flow through secretions or narrowed airways
- associated with pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary edema, COPD
Wheeze
- air passing through narrowed airways
- found with asthma, bronchitis
