4. RESPIRATORY - SYSTEM

Respiration: Process of moving air into and out of the lungs.

External respiration: The exchange of air between the lungs and the external

environment.

Internal respiration: Respiration between the individual body cells and tiny blood

capillaries that surround them.

Expiration: Breathing out

Inspiration: Breathing in

Paranasal sinuses: Hollow air containing spaces within the skull that communicate

with the nasal cavity.

Adenoids: Lymphatic tissue in the nasopharynx;also called pharyngeal tonsils.

Alveolus: Air sac in the lung.

Apex of the lung: Tip of uppermost portion of the lung. An apex is the tip of a

structure. Apical means pertaining to the apex.

Base of the lung: Lower portion of the lung.

Carbon dioxide: Gas produced by body cells when oxygen and food combine;

exhaled through the lungs.

Cilia: Thin hairs attached to the mucous membrane epithelium lining the nasal

cavity. They clear bacteria and foreign substances from the lung. Cigarette smoking

impairs the function of cilia.

Diaphragm: Muscle separating the chest and abdomen. It contracts and relaxes to

make breathing possible.

Epiglottis: Lid-like piece of cartilage that covers the larynx, preventing food from

entering the larynx and trachea during swallowing.

Glottis: Slit-like opening of the larynx.

Hilum: Midline region where the bronchi, blood vessels, and nerves enter and exit

the lungs. Hilar means pertaining to the hilum.

Larynx: Voice box; containing the vocal cords.

Lobe: Division of a lung.

Mediastinum: Region between the lungs in the chest cavity. It contains the trachea,

heart, aorta, esophagus, and bronchial tubes.

Nares: Opening through the nose carrying air into the nasal cavities.

Oxygen: Gas that passes into the bloodstream at the lungs and travels to all body

cells.

Palatine tonsil: One of a pair of almond-shaped masses of lymphatic tissue in the

oropharynx.

Pharynx: Throat; including the nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx.

Pleura: Double-folded membrane surrounding each lung.

Parietal pleura: Outer fold of pleura lying closer to the ribs and chest wall.

Visceral pleura: Inner fold of pleura lying closer to the lung tissue.

Pleural cavity: Space between the folds of the pleura.

Pulmonary parenchyma: Essential parts of the lung, responsible for

respiration;contains bronchioles and alveoli.

Trachea: Windpipe.

Bronchus: Branch of the trachea that is a passageway into the lung.

Bronchioles: Smallest branches of the bronchi. Terminal bronchioles lead to

alveolar ducts.

Bronchopleural fistula: It is an abnormal connection between the bronchial tube

and the pleural cavity.

Orthopnea: An abnormal condition in which breathing is easier in the upright

position.

Cheyne-stokes respirations: It is marked by rhythmic changes in the depth of

breathing. The pattern occurs every 45 seconds to 3 minutes.

Atelectasis: Collapsed lung; incomplete expansion of a lung.

Sleep apnea: It is a sudden cessation of breathing during sleep.

Hyperpnea: An increase in the depth of breathing, occurring normally with exercise

and abnormally with any condition in which the supply of oxygen is inadequate.

Tachypnea: Excessively rapid and shallow breathing.

Asphyxia: Blockage of breathing and severe hypoxia leads to hypoxemia,

hypercapnia, loss of consciousness and death.

Auscultation: Listening to sounds within the body.

Percussion: Tapping on a surface to determine the difference in the density of the

underlying structure.

Pleural rub: Scratchy sound produced by the motion of inflamed or irritated pleural

surfaces rubbing against each other; also called a friction rub.

Rale: Fine crackling sound heard on auscultation when there is fluid in the alveoli.

Rhonchus: Loud rumbling sound heard on auscultation of bronchi obstructed by

sputum.

Sputum: Material expelled from the chest by coughing or clearing the throat.

Stridor: Strained, high-pitched, relatively loud sound made on inspiration;

associated with obstruction of the larynx or trachea.

Wheeze: Continuous high-pitched whistling sound heard when air is forced through

a narrow space during inspiration or expiration.

Croup: Acute viral infection in infants and children; characterized by obstruction of

the larynx, barking cough and stridor.

Diphtheria: Acute infection of the throat and upper respiratory tract caused by the

diphtheria bacterium.

Epistaxis: Nose bleeds.

Pertussis: Highly contagious bacterial infection of the pharynx, larynx and trachea

caused by Bordetella Pertussis.

Asthma: Chronic inflammatory disorder with airway obstruction caused by bronchial

edema, bronchoconstriction and increased mucus production.

Bronchiectasis: Chronic dilation of a bronchus secondary to infection in the lower

lobes of the lung.

Chronic bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchi persisting over a long time.

Cystic fibrosis: Inherited disorder of exocrine glands resulting in thick, mucous

secretions that do not drain normally.

Emphysema: Hyperinflation of air sacs with destruction of alveolar walls.

Pneumoconiosis: Abnormal condition caused by dust in the lungs, with chronic

inflammation, infection and bronchitis.

Pneumonia: Acute inflammation and infection of alveoli, which fill with pus or

products of the inflammatory reaction.

Pulmonary abscess: A large collection of pus in the lungs.

Pulmonary edema: Swelling and fluid in the air sacs and bronchioles.

Pulmonary embolism: Clot or other material lodges in vessels of the lung.

Pulmonary fibrosis: Formation of scar tissue in the connective tissue of the lungs.

Sarcoidosis: Chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause in which small

nodules or tubercles develop in lungs, lymph nodes and other organs.

Tuberculosis: Infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; lungs

usually are involved, but any organs in the body may be affected.

Mesothelioma: Rare malignant tumor arising in the pleura; associated with

asbestos exposure.

Pleural effusion: Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural space.

Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura.

Pneumothorax: Collection of air in the pleural space.

Anthracosis: Coal dust accumulation in the lungs.

Asbestosis: Asbestos particles accumulate in the lungs.

Bacilli: Rod-shaped bacteria.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Chronic condition of persistent

obstruction of air flow through bronchial tubes ad lungs. Patients with predominant

chronic bronchitis COPD are referred to as “blue bloaters”, whereas those with

predominant emphysema are called “pink puffers”.

Cor pulmonale: Failure of the right side of the heart to pump a sufficient amount of

blood to the lungs because of underlying lung disease.

Exudate: Fluid, cells. or other substances that slowly leaves cells or capillaries

through pores or small breaks in cell membranes.

Hydrothorax: Collection of fluid in the pleural cavity.

Palliative: Relieving symptoms, but not curing the disease.

Paroxysmal: Pertaining to a sudden occurrence, such as a spasm or seizure.

Pulmonary infarction: Occurrence of necrotic tissue in the lung.

Purulent: Containing pus.

Silicosis: Disease due to silica or glass dust in the lung; occurs in mining

occupations.

Ventilation-perfusion scan: Detection device records radioactivity in the lung after

injection of a radioisotope or inhalation of small amount of radioactive gas.

Bronchoscopy: Fiberoptic or rigid endoscope inserted into the bronchial tubes for

diagnosis, biopsy or collection of specimens.

Endotracheal intubation: Placement of a tube through the mouth into the

pharynx, larynx and trachea to establish an airway.

Laryngoscopy: Visual examination of the voice box.

Lung biopsy: Removal of lung tissue followed by microscopic examination.

Mediastinoscopy: Endoscopic visual examination of the mediastinum.

Pulmonary function tests: Tests that measure the ventilation mechanics of the

lung.

Thoracentesis: Surgical puncture to remove fluid from the pleural space.

Thoracotomy: Major surgical incision of the chest.

Thoracoscopy: Visual examination of the chest via small incisions and use of an

endoscope.

Tracheostomy: Surgical creation of an opening into the trachea through the neck.

Tuberculin test: Determines past or present tuberculous infection based in a

positive skin reaction.

Tube thoracostomy: Chest tube is passed through an opening in the skin of the

chest to continuously drain a pleural effusion.