Mechanical dysfunction of the respiratory system
Pearls • Workload and efficiency define the demands that disease imposes on the respiratory muscles and therefore are the relevant variables in the analysis of the mechanical function of the…
Diseases of the upper respiratory tract
Pearls • There are distinct differences in the pediatric and adult airway, including the fact that the infant airway is situated higher in the neck (between the second and fourth…
Neonatal pulmonary disease
Pearls • Both pulmonary and nonpulmonary disorders must be considered as leading to neonatal respiratory distress. • It is important to distinguish respiratory disorders from the normal neonatal cardiorespiratory transition….
Physiology of the respiratory system
Pearls • Children younger than 5 years have nearly equal peripheral and central airway resistance. This makes them more susceptible to developing respiratory failure with illnesses that affect the lower…
Acute viral bronchiolitis
Pearls • Bronchiolitis accounts for 5% to 10% of total pediatric intensive care unit admissions in the United States. • Treatment for critical bronchiolitis is predominantly supportive, particularly for hypoxia,…
Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and ventilator-associated lung injury
Pearls • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a restrictive lung disease with clinical manifestations of hypoxemia, low respiratory system compliance, and new pulmonary infiltrates. Pathologically, ARDS is characterized by…
Ventilation/perfusion inequality
Pearls • Gas exchange is optimized when pulmonary perfusion (Q) and alveolar ventilation (V A ) are tightly matched. The fractal design of the lung and gravitational effects on the…
Noninvasive respiratory monitoring and assessment of gas exchange
Pearls • Pulse oximetry is based on the principles that the pulsatile component of the optical absorbance detected from tissue is primarily from arterial blood and that oxyhemoglobin and reduced…
Structure and development of the lower respiratory system
Pearls • Lungs increase in volume from about 250 mL at birth to 6000 mL in the adult. • Each lung lobe is subdivided into 19 bronchopulmonary segments, which receive…
