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Normally, the pressure within the pleural cavity is slightly less than the atmospheric pressure, which is known as negative pressure. [1] When the pleural cavity is damaged or ruptured and the intrapleural pressure becomes greater than the atmospheric pressure, pneumothorax may ensue. Intrapleural pressure is different from intrathoracic pressure.
Transpulmonary pressure is the difference between the alveolar pressure and the intrapleural pressure in the pleural cavity. During human ventilation, air flows because of pressure gradients. P tp = P alv – P ip. Where P tp is transpulmonary pressure, P alv is alveolar pressure, and P ip is intrapleural pressure.
Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as 101,325 Pa (1,013.25 hPa ), which is equivalent to 1,013.25 millibars , [ 1 ] 760 mm Hg , 29.9212 inches Hg , or 14.696 psi . [ 2 ]
Doing the same at 5500 m, where the atmospheric pressure is only 50 kPa, the intrapulmonary air pressure falls to 25 kPa. Therefore, the same change in lung volume at sea level results in a 50 kPa difference in pressure between the ambient air and the intrapulmonary air, whereas it result in a difference of only 25 kPa at 5500 m.
The alveolar oxygen partial pressure is lower than the atmospheric O 2 partial pressure for two reasons. Firstly, as the air enters the lungs, it is humidified by the upper airway and thus the partial pressure of water vapour (47 mmHg) reduces the oxygen partial pressure to about 150 mmHg.
Image illustrating transpulmonary, intrapleural and intra-alveolar pressure. Alveolar pressure (P alv) is the pressure of air inside the lung alveoli. When the glottis is opened and no air is flowing into or out of the lungs, alveolar pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure, that is, zero cmH 2 O. [1] [2]
The pleural cavity, or pleural space (or sometimes intrapleural space), is the potential space between the pleurae of the pleural sac that surrounds each lung.A small amount of serous pleural fluid is maintained in the pleural cavity to enable lubrication between the membranes, and also to create a pressure gradient.
The combination of surface tension, oncotic pressure, and the fluid pressure drop caused by the inward elastic recoil of the lung parenchyma and the rigidity of the chest wall, results in a normally negative pressure of -5 cm H 2 O (approximately −3.68 mmHg or −0.491 kPa) within the pleural space, causing it to mostly stay collapsed as a ...