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

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 H₂O intraluminal pressure, tracheal segments increased from 46 to 101% in volume, the greatest change being in the younger subjects. At +20 cm H₂O pressure, tracheal segments increased from 52 to 129% in volume. The bronchi increased from 30% to 60% with +10 cm H₂O 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