Volume-pressure and length-tension measurements in human tracheal and bronchial segments

TLDR

The study measured volume‑pressure relationships in isolated human tracheal and bronchial segments from 21 post‑mortem donors spanning newborn to elderly ages. Compliance of tracheal and bronchial segments declined with age, and at intraluminal pressures of +10 and +20 cm H₂O tracheal volumes increased 46–101 % and 52–129 % respectively, while bronchi expanded 30–60 % at +10 cm H₂O; younger segments also showed larger relative length changes under applied weights. Submitted on July 5, 1960.

Abstract

Volume-pressure relations of isolated human tracheal and bronchial segments obtained post mortem from 21 patients, representing a wide age range (newborn premature infants to elderly adults), were studied. With intraluminal pressures above atmospheric, there was a progressive decrease in tracheal and bronchial compliance with increasing age. At +10 cm H 2 O intraluminal pressure, tracheal segments increased from 46 to 101% in volume, the greatest change being in the younger subjects. At +20 cm H 2 O pressure, tracheal segments increased from 52 to 129% in volume. The bronchi increased from 30% to 60% with +10 cm H 2 O pressure. When various weights were applied to the segments, there was a greater relative change in length of segments from younger subjects. Submitted on July 5, 1960