Chapter 17 Assessment of Respiratory Function Flashcards
(116 cards)
Functions of the Respiratory System
O2 transport, gas exchange, respiration, & ventilation
Ventilation
Movement of air in & out of the airways
Upper Respiratory Tract Function
Warms & filters air
Lower Respiratory Tract Function
Gas exchange (diffusion)
What occurs during gas exchange?
Delivering O2 to the tissues via bloodstream
Expel waste gases (CO2)
Upper Airway Structures
Nose, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, tonsils, adenoids, larynx, & trachea
Nose Function
Serves as a passageway for air to pass to & from the lungs
Filters impurities & humidifies & warms air as it is inhaled
Cilia
Short, fine hairs that provide a constant whipping motion that serves to propel mucus & foreign substances away from the lungs & toward the larynx
Paranasal Sinuses Function
Serves as a resonating chamber in speech
Tonsil & Adenoid Function
Guard the body from organisms invading the nose & throat
What is another name that the larynx is referred to?
“Voice box”
Epiglottis
A valve flap of cartilage that covers the opening to the larynx during swallowing
Glottis
Opening between the vocal folds in the larynx
Thyroid cartilage
Largest of cartilage structures that forms a part of the Adam’s apple
Cricoid cartilage
Only complete cartilaginous ring in the larynx
Arytenoid cartilage
Used in vocal movement w/the thyroid cartilage
Vocal Cords
Ligaments controlled by muscular movements that produce sound
Trachea
The “windpipe”
Composed of smooth muscle w/ C-shaped cartilaginous rings at regular intervals
Why are the cartilaginous rings in the trachea incomplete?
The cartilaginous rings in the trachea are incomplete on the posterior surface to give firmness to the wall of the trachea to prevent collapse
Which organs compose the lower respiratory tract?
The lungs w/alveolar & bronchial structures
How many lobes does the RT lung have versus the LT lung?
The RT lung has 3 lobes & the LT lung has 2
Pleura
Serous membrane that serves as the inner lining of the lungs
What area does the visceral pleura cover?
The lungs
What area does the parietal pleura cover?
Lines the thoracic cavity, lateral wall of the mediastinum, diaphragm, & inner aspects of the ribs