The respiratory system

• Organs of the Respiratory System

– Nasal cavity
– Pharynx
– Larynx
– Trachea
– Bronchial tubes
– Lungs
Nasal septum: Wall dividing two nostrils
Septoplasty: surgical repair of the septum
Anosmia: without (the sense of ) smell
Epistaxis: Nosebleed; nasal hemorrhage
Dysphonia : bad (impaired) voice quality
Adenoidectomy: excision of adenoids
Sinusotomy: incision of the sinuses to improve ventilation or
drainage
Epiglottitis: a medical emergency of inflammation of the epiglottis
Cilia: hair like structure in the trachea
Cilia escalator: a mechanism produced by cilia to move particles
upward to the pharynx where they are removed by coughing or
swallowing.
Tracheoplasty: surgical repair of the trachea to correct a narrow
or stenotic trachea (windpipe)
• Eupnea: normal or good breathing (adult respiratory rate is 12
to 20 breaths/minute).
• Tachypnea: rapid breathing rate
• Bradypnea : slow breathing rate
• Hyperventilation: breathing too fast and too deep
• Hypoventilation: breathing too slow and too shallow
• Dyspnea: difficult breathing
• Orthopnea: easier breathing in a straight or upright position
• Apnea: a temporary loss of breathing and includes sleep apnea
or cardiac apnea
types of sleep apnea: obstructive (enlarged tonsils and adenoids), central
(failure of the brain to transmit impulses for breathing), and mixed .
Sleeping disorder in which breathing stops repeatedly for more than 10
seconds, causing measurable blood deoxygenation. Continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) machine used to treat sleep apnea
Crackle: Abnormal respiratory sound heard on auscultation
Pneumectomy: excision of (all or part of ) a lung
Lobectomy: surgical removal of lobe
Pneumonia: condition of infection of the lungs
Pneumoconiosis: condition of accumulation of mineral dust in the lungs
Anthracosis : abnormal condition of coal dust in the lungs.
Asbestosis: abnormal condition of asbestos in the lungs
Atelectasis: incomplete expansion of the lung; also called airless lung or
collapsed lung.
• Atelectasis is a potential complication of some surgical procedures, especially
those of the chest because breathing is commonly shallow after surgery to avoid
pain from the surgical incision. In fetal atelectasis, the lungs fail to expand
normally at birth
Spirometer: instrument for measuring breathing or lung capacity
• A spirometer measures how much air the lungs can hold (vital capacity) as well as
how much and how quickly air can be exhaled
• Phlegm: thick mucus secreted by respiratory tract
• Sputum: phlegm coughed up from respiratory tract
• Hemoptysis: (coughing up or) spitting of blood or blood-
stained sputum
• Sputum culture & sensitivity (C&S): cultures sputum for
bacterial growth, if present, then determines best antibiotic to
use.
• Sputum cytology : examining sputum for malignant cells
Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleural membrane characterized by a stabbing pain that
is intensified by coughing or deep breathing; also called pleuritis
Pleural effusion: accumulation of fluid in pleural cavity; prevents lungs from fully
expanding
• causes of pleural effusions include:
• congestive heart failure (the most common cause overall)
• cirrhosis or poor liver function.
• pulmonary embolism, which is caused by a blood clot and is a blockage in the
lung arteries.
• complications from open-heart surgery.
• pneumonia.
• severe kidney disease
Pleurocentesis: surgical puncture of the pleural cavity; also called thoracocentesis or
thoracentesis

Pneumothorax collection of air in pleural

cavity; may result in collapsed lung
In atelectasis the lung collapse is due to decreased pressure inside the lung while in
pneumothorax it is due to pressure of ar on the lung from outside. Smokers are more
vulnerable for pneumothorax howevr, it can occur spontaneously

Pyothorax : pus in the chest (cavity); also called empyema. Pyothorax is usually caused by
a penetrating chest wound or spreading of infection from another part of the body.
• Pulmonary edema: Accumulation of extravascular fluid in lung
tissues and alveoli, caused most commonly by heart failure.
Excessive fluid in the lungs induces coughing and dyspnea.
• Pulmonary embolism: Blockage in an artery of the lungs
caused by a mass of un dissolved matter (such as a blood clot,
tissue, air bubbles, and bacteria).
• Phrenospasm: involuntary contraction of the diaphragm
• Pectoralgia: pain in the chest; also called thoracalgia,
thoracodynia, and pectorodynia
• Asphyxia: Condition caused by insufficient intake of oxygen
• Some common causes of asphyxia are drowning, electric shock, lodging of a foreign
body in the respiratory tract, inhalation of toxic smoke, and poisoning.
• Croup: Common childhood condition involving inflammation of
the larynx, trachea, bronchial passages and, sometimes, lungs
• Signs and symptoms include a resonant, barking cough with suffocative, difficult
breathing; laryngeal spasms, and, sometimes, the narrowing of the top of the air
passages Encourage 'cold' fluids such as juice, a slushy, or a Popsicle. Children
with croup usually have a 'sore throat', and this may help to soothe it. Most
• Asthma: is an inflammatory diseases of the bronchi that
produces spasms in the bronchial passages (bronchospasms).
coughing episodes produce large amounts of mucus
(productive cough). Asthma is commonly caused by exposure to allergens
or irritants. Other causes include stress, cold, and exercise.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a chronic
partial obstruction of the air passages. The patient finds it
difficult to breath (dyspnea) especially upon exertion and
usually exhibits a chronic cough
• Bronchitis: is characterized by swelling of the mucosa and a
heavy, productive cough accompanied by chest pain.
• Emphysema is characterized by decreased elasticity of the
alveoli. The alveoli expand (dilate) but are unable to contract
to their original size
• Influenza (flu) is an acute infectious respiratory viral disease.
Hypoxemia: deficiency of oxygen in blood
Oximeter: instrument used for measuring the percentage of
hemoglobin saturated with oxygen.
An oximeter is usually attached to the tip of a finger but may also be placed on a toe or
ear lobe.
Hypoxia: is deficiency of oxygen in tissues
Hypercapnia: excessive CO2

Arterial blood gas (ABG): Test that measures partial pressure of

oxygen (Po2), carbon dioxide (Pco2), pH (acidity or alkalinity), and
bicarbonate level of an arterial blood
ABG analysis evaluates pulmonary gas exchange and helps guide treatment of
acid-base imbalances

Acidosis: Excessive acidity of body fluids

Respiratory acidosis is commonly associated with pulmonary insufficiency and
the subsequent retention of carbon dioxide
Throat culture: Test used to identify pathogens, especially group A
streptococci
• Tuberculosis (TB): bacterial lung infection; results in
inflammation and calcification of lungs
• Mantoux test: Intradermal test to determine tuberculin
sensitivity based on a positive reaction where the area
around the test site becomes red and swollen
• A positive test suggests a past or present exposure to TB or past TB
vaccination. However, the Mantoux test does not differentiate
between active and inactive infection.

• Mediastinoscopy: Visual examination of the mediastinal

structures including the heart, trachea, esophagus, bronchus,
thymus, and lymph nodes.

• Cystic fibrosis (CF): genetic condition; produces very

thick mucus that causes severe congestion in lungs
• Sweat test: Measurement of the amount of salt (sodium
chloride) in sweat. A sweat test is used almost exclusively in children
to confirm cystic fibrosis
• Aspiration: withdrawing fluid using suction as removing
phlegm from patient’s airway also means inhaling food or
liquid into trachea
• Clubbing: Enlargement of the terminal phalanges of the
fingers and toes, commonly associated with pulmonary disease
and chronic oxygen deficiency
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) completely
unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently normal,
healthy infant, usually less than 12 months of age; also called
crib death
• adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): acute
respiratory failure; characterized by tachypnea, dyspnea,
cyanosis, and hypoxemia
• Aerosol therapy: Lung treatment using various techniques to
deliver medication in mist form directly to the lungs or air
passageways. Techniques include nebulizers, metered-dose
inhalers (MDIs)
• Polysomnography: monitoring patient sleeping to
identify sleep apnea
• Endotracheal intubation: placing a tube through the
mouth and into the trachea to keep airway patent
(open)
• Otorhinolaryngology: branch of medicine involving
diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose,
and throat
• Expectorant: improves ability to cough up mucus
• Mucolytic: liquefies mucus so it is easier to cough up
• Antitussive: relieves urge to cough
• Ventilator: machine that provides artificial
ventilation for a patient unable to breathe alone