Fundamental Respiratory Mechanics
Of all the essential elements needed to support life, oxygen is the most vital. It is the primary function of the respiratory system to provide a constant supply of it to the body. The act of breathing air in and out of the lungs is basically a mechanical process, relying on changes in pressure and volume. The mechanical properties of the structural elements involved will invariably influence the efficiency of the breathing process or the comfort associated with it.
As a material, the lung tissue possesses complex characteristics which can be quantitatively assessed. The techniques used to describe the mechanical function of the lungs in terms of relevant parameters employ notions of physiology and principles of physics which are combined into mathematical equations or models.
RELATED PRODUCTS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE LUNGS
Mathematical models to describe the lungs are continuously evolving as knowledge advances. During their development, predicted outcomes are matched to relevant experimental data for model optimization and validation. Experimental data generated with the flexiVent are used to extend, develop or validate mathematical models used to interpret respiratory mechanics measurements or predict the lungs’ mechanical function.
REFERENCES
- Nonlinearity of respiratory mechanics during bronchoconstriction in mice with airway inflammation – Wagers et al. J Appl Physiol 92: 1802, 2002
- Influence of parenchymal heterogeneity on airway-parenchymal interdependence – Ma et al. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 188: 94, 2013
- Nonlinear and Frequency-Dependent Mechanical Behavior of the Mouse Respiratory System – Moriya et al. Annals Biomed Eng 31: 318, 2003
- Predicting the Response of the Injured Lung to the Mechanical Breath Profile – Smith et al. J Appl Physiol. Published 29 January 2015 Vol. no. , DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00902.2014