Lung capacities

/ volumes

Danielle Alleyne
 The Spirometer
*an apparatus for measuring the volume of air inspired
and expired by the lungs.
*records the amount of air and the rate of air that is
breathed in and out over a specified period of time.
*Pt. is asked to breathe quietly. Normal, quiet
breathing involves inspiration and expiration of a
tidal volume (Vt).
(includes the volume of air that fills the alveoli plus
the volume of air that fills the airways. )
*then, pt. is asked to take a maximal inspiration,
followed by a maximal expiration. Allowing additional
lung volumes to be revealed.
 Pulmonary Volumes
1.The tidal volume is the volume of air inspired or expired with
each normal breath; (approx. 500 milliliters in the adult.)

2. The inspiratory reserve volume is the extra volume of air

that can be inspired over and above the normal tidal volume
when the person inspires with full force; (approx. 3000
milliliters.)

3. The expiratory reserve volume is the maximum extra volume

of air that can be expired by forceful expiration after the end of
a normal tidal expiration; (approx. 1100 milliliters.)

4. The residual volume is the volume of air remaining in the

lungs after the most forceful expiration; (approx 1200 milliliters)
 Pulmonary Capacities
1. The inspiratory capacity equals the tidal volume plus the inspiratory
reserve volume. This is the amount of air (about 3500 milliliters) a person can
breathe in, beginning at the normal expiratory level and distending the lungs
to the maximum amount.

2. The functional residual capacity equals the expiratory reserve volume plus
the residual volume. This is the amount of air that remains in the lungs at the
end of normal expiration (about 2300 milliliters).

3. The vital capacity equals the inspiratory reserve volume plus the tidal
volume plus the expiratory reserve volume. This is the maximum amount of
air a person can expel from the lungs after first filling the lungs to their
maximum extent and then expiring to the maximum extent (about 4600
milliliters).

4. The total lung capacity is the maximum volume to which the lungs can be
expanded with the greatest possible effort (about 5800 milliliters); it is equal
to the vital capacity plus the residual volume
VC = IRV + VT + ERV

VC = IC + ERV

TLC = VC + RV
* .

TLC = IC + FRC

FRC = ERV + RV
 *Dead space
the volume of the airways and lungs that does
not participate in gas exchange.

=
anatomic dead space of the conducting airways

+
physiologic dead space
 * Anatomic Dead Space

∞the volume of the conducting airways, including

the nose (and/or mouth), trachea, bronchi, and
bronchioles.

∞does not include the respiratory bronchioles and

alveoli.

∞volume of the conducting airways is

approximately 150 mL.
 * Physiologic Dead Space

∞the total volume of the lungs that does not

participate in gas exchange.

∞includes the anatomic dead space of the

conducting airways plus a functional dead
space in the alveoli.

∞ In normal persons, the physiologic dead

space is nearly equal to the anatomic dead
space.
 Mechanics of Breathing
 Lungs can be expanded & contracted in two
ways:-
1. by downward and upward movement of the
diaphragm to lengthen or shorten the chest
cavity
2. by elevation and depression of the ribs to
increase and decrease the AP diameter of the
chest cavity
During inspiration:
 Diaphragm contracts (pulls lower surfaces of lungs downwards)
 External Intercostal & Accessory muscles raise the rib cage
 ↑ intra-thoracic volume
↓ intra-thoracic pressure

During expiration:
 Expiration is normally passive.
 Diaphragm relaxes (elastic recoil of lungs)
 As lungs recoil from the stretch of inhalation, air flows back out
until the pressures in the chest and the atmosphere reach
equilibrium.
 This is called a reverse pressure gradient.
 Internal Intercostal & Abdominal muscles pull the rib cage
downward during expiration
 Pressures
 Pleural pressure is the pressure of the fluid in the thin
space between the lung pleura and the chest wall pleura.
 there is normally a slight suction, which means a slightly
negative pressure.
 Alveolar pressure is the pressure of the air inside the
lung alveoli.
 Transpulmonary pressure is the difference between the
alveolar pressure and the pleural pressure.
 It is a measure of the elastic forces in the lungs that tend
to collapse the lungs at each instant of respiration, called
the recoil pressure.
 Compliance
 describes the distensibility of the system
 Hence, lung compliance refers to the extent of
expansion of the lungs for a given change in
pressure.
 The greater the amount of elastic tissue, the greater
the tendency to "snap back," and the greater the
elastic recoil force, but the lower the compliance.
 The compliance of the lungs and chest wall is
inversely correlated with their elastic properties
 Compliance of Chest Wall
 Negative intra-pleural pressure is created by two opposing
elastic forces pulling on the intra-pleural space:

1. The lungs, with their elastic properties, tend to collapse

2. The chest wall, with its elastic properties, tends to spring out

 When these two opposing forces pull on the intra-pleural

space, a negative pressure is created.

 In turn, this negative intra-pleural pressure opposes the

natural tendency of the lungs to collapse and the chest wall
to spring out.
 1. No longer a negative intra-pleural pressure to hold the lungs open
2. no longer a negative intrapleural pressure to keep the chest wall from
expanding
 Emphysema
 Condition associated with loss of elastic fibers in the lungs

 The compliance of the lungs increases

 At a given volume, the collapsing (elastic recoil) force on the lungs is decreased

 The tendency of the lungs to collapse is less than the tendency of the chest
wall to expand

 Two forces no longer in balance

 For balance to occur, volume must be added to the lungs to increase their
collapsing force

 Patients have a new higher Functional Residual Capacity

 Fibrosis
 aka ‘restrictive disease’

 Condition associated with stiffening of lung tissues and decreased compliance

 The compliance of the lungs decreases

 The tendency of the lungs to collapse is greater than the tendency of the chest
wall to expand

 The opposing forces no longer in balance

 To re-establish balance, the lung and chest-wall system will seek a new lower
Functional Residual Capacity