The human right lung is made up of lung diseases

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Basic information

Definition

A focal formation in the lung is called a radiographically determined single defect of a rounded shape in the projection of the lung fields (Fig. 133).

Its edges may be smooth or uneven, but they must be distinct enough to define the contour of the defect and allow its diameter to be measured in two or more projections.

Rice. 133. Chest radiograph in frontal and lateral projections of a 40-year-old patient.
Focal blackout with clear boundaries is visible. When compared with previous radiographs, it was found that over a period of more than 10 years, the formation did not increase in size. It was considered benign and no resection was performed.

The surrounding lung parenchyma should appear relatively normal. Inside the defect, calcifications are possible, as well as small cavities. If most of the defect is occupied by a cavity, then a recalcified cyst or a thin-walled cavity should be assumed; it is undesirable to include these nosological units in the type of pathology under discussion.

The size of the defect is also one of the criteria for determining focal lesions in the lung. The authors believe that the term "focal lesion in the lungs" should be limited to defects no larger than 4 cm. Lesions larger than 4 cm in diameter are more often of a malignant nature.

Therefore, the process of differential diagnosis and examination tactics for these large formations are somewhat different than for typical small focal opacities. Of course, the adoption of a diameter of 4 cm as a criterion for assigning pathology to the group of focal formations in the lung is to a certain extent conditional.

Causes and Prevalence

The causes of focal blackouts in the lungs can be different, but in principle they can be divided into two main groups: benign and malignant (Table 129). Among benign causes, granulomas caused by tuberculosis, coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis are most common.

Table 129

Among the malignant causes of blackouts, bronchogenic cancers and metastases of tumors of the kidneys, colon, and breast are most common. According to various authors, the percentage of blackouts, which subsequently turn out to be malignant, ranges from 20 to 40.

There are many reasons for this variability. For example, in studies conducted in surgical clinics, calcified defects are usually excluded, therefore, in such populations, a higher percentage of malignant tumor is obtained compared to groups of patients from which calcified defects are not excluded.

In studies conducted in geographical areas endemic for coccidiomycosis or histoplasmosis, a higher percentage of benign changes will, of course, also be found. Age is also an important factor; in persons under 35 years of age, the probability of malignant lesions is low (1% or less), and in older patients it increases significantly. A malignant nature is more likely for large opacities than for smaller ones.

Anamnesis

Most patients with focal lesions in the lungs do not have any clinical symptoms. Nevertheless, with careful questioning of the patient, you can get some information that can help in the diagnosis.

Clinical symptoms of pulmonary pathology are more common in patients with a malignant origin of blackout than in patients with benign defects.

History of present illness

It is important to collect information on recent upper respiratory tract infections, influenza and influenza-like conditions, pneumonia, as sometimes pneumococcal infiltrates are round in shape.

The presence of a chronic cough, sputum, weight loss or hemoptysis in a patient increases the likelihood of a malignant origin of the defect.

Status of individual systems

With the help of correctly posed questions, it is possible to identify the presence of non-metastatic paraneoplastic syndromes in a patient. These syndromes include clubbing fingers with hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, ectopic hormone secretion, migratory thrombophlebitis, and a number of neurological disorders.

However, if a patient has a malignant process that manifests itself only as an isolated blackout in the lung, all these signs are rare. The main purpose of such a survey is usually to try to identify extrapulmonary symptoms that may indicate the presence of a primary malignant tumor in other organs or detect distant metastases of the primary lung tumor.

The presence of an extrapulmonary primary tumor can be suspected by such symptoms as a change in stool, the presence of blood in the stool or urine, the detection of a lump in the breast tissue, the appearance of discharge from the nipple.

Past illnesses

A possible etiology of focal opacities in the lungs can be reasonably suspected if the patient previously had malignant tumors of any organs or the presence of a granulomatous infection (tuberculosis or fungal) was confirmed.

Other systemic diseases that may be accompanied by the appearance of isolated opacities in the lungs include rheumatoid arthritis and chronic infections that occur against the background of immunodeficiency states.

Social and occupational history, travel

A history of prolonged smoking significantly increases the likelihood of a malignant nature of focal changes in the lungs. Alcoholism is accompanied by an increased likelihood of tuberculosis. Information about the patient's residence or travel to certain geographical areas (endemic zones for fungal infections) makes it possible to suspect that the patient has any of the common (coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis) or rare (echinococcosis, dirofilariasis) diseases that lead to the formation of blackouts in the lungs.

It is necessary to ask the patient in detail about his working conditions, since some types of professional activity (asbestos production, uranium and nickel mining) are accompanied by an increased risk of malignant lung tumors.

Human lungs are responsible for breathing and enriching the body with oxygen. Even in the womb, we breathe oxygen, which is saturated with amniotic fluid. Therefore, maternal walks in the fresh air and a normal level of amniotic fluid are especially important for the baby.

Why do we need lungs?

Breathing is basically an uncontrolled process carried out on a reflex level. A certain area is responsible for this - the medulla oblongata. It regulates the rate and depth of breathing, focusing on the percentage of carbon dioxide concentration in the blood. The rhythm of breathing is affected by the work of the whole organism. Depending on the frequency of breathing, the heart rate slows down or speeds up. Physical activity causes the need for more oxygen, and our respiratory organs switch to an enhanced mode of operation.

Special breathing exercises help control the pace and intensity of the respiratory process. Experienced yogis can stop the breathing process for a very long time. This is achieved through immersion in a state of samadhi, in which the vital signs are not actually recorded.

In addition to breathing, the lungs provide an optimal level of acid-base balance in the blood, an immune response, filtration of microclots, regulation of blood coagulation, and the removal of toxins.

The structure of the lungs

The left lung has a smaller volume than the right one - by an average of 10%. It is longer and narrower, which is due to the peculiarities of the anatomy - the placement, which is located to the left, making the width of the left lung slightly smaller.

The lungs have the shape of a semi-cone. Their base rests on the diaphragm, and the top protrudes slightly above the collarbones.

In accordance with the structure of the ribs, the surface of the lungs adjacent to them has a convex shape. The side facing the heart is concave. Thus, a space sufficient for the functioning of the heart muscle is formed.

In the middle of the respiratory organ there are depressions - the main "gateways" of the oxygen transport line. They contain the main bronchus, bronchial artery, pulmonary artery, nerve tree, lymphatic and venous vessels. All together is called the "pulmonary root".

The surface of each lung is covered with a pleura - a moist, smooth and shiny membrane. In the region of the pulmonary root, the pleura passes to the surface of the chest, forming the pleural sac.

Two deep fissures on the right lung form three lobes (upper, middle and lower) with two deep fissures. The left lung is divided by just one slit, respectively, into two parts (upper and lower lobe).

In addition, this organ is divided into segments and lobules. The segments resemble pyramids, including their own artery, bronchus, and nerve complex. The segment is made up of small pyramids - lobules. There can be about 800 of them per lung.

Like a tree, the bronchus pierces each lobule. At the same time, the diameter of the "oxygen ducts" - bronchioles gradually changes in the direction of decrease. The bronchioles branch out and, decreasing, form alveolar tracts, which are adjacent to entire colonies and clusters of alveoli - tiny vesicles with thin walls. It is these bubbles that are the final point of transport for the delivery of oxygen to the blood. The thin walls of the alveoli are composed of connective tissue densely permeated with capillary vessels. These vessels deliver venous blood rich in carbon dioxide from the right side of the heart. The uniqueness of this system lies in the instantaneous exchange: carbon dioxide is excreted into the alveolus, and oxygen is absorbed by hemoglobin contained in the blood.

With one breath, there is no renewal of air in the full volume of the alveolar system. The remaining alveoli form a reserve oxygen bank, which is activated when physical activity on the body is increased.

How do human lungs work?

Outwardly simple cycle "inhale-exhale" in reality is a multi-factorial and multi-level process.

Consider the muscles that provide the respiratory process:

Diaphragm- This is a flat muscle, tightly stretched along the edge of the arc of the ribs. It separates the working space of the lungs and heart from the abdominal cavity. This muscle is responsible for the active breathing of a person.

Intercostal muscles- arranged in several layers and connect the edges of adjacent edges. They are involved in the deep "inhale-exhale" cycle.

When inhaling, the muscles responsible for it simultaneously contract, which forces air under pressure into the airways. The diaphragm in the process of contraction becomes flat, the pleural cavity becomes an area of negative pressure due to vacuum. This pressure acts on the lung tissues, causing them to expand, transmitting negative pressure to the respiratory and airways. As a result, air from the atmosphere enters the lungs of a person, since an area of low pressure is formed there. The newly incoming air mixes with the remnants of the previous portion, lingering in the alveoli, while enriching them with oxygen, removing carbon dioxide.

Deep inspiration is provided by weakening part of the oblique intercostal muscles, as well as contraction of a group of muscles located perpendicularly. These muscles push the ribs apart, thereby increasing the volume of the chest. This creates the possibility of a 20-30 percent increase in the volume of inhaled air.

Exhalation occurs automatically - when the diaphragm relaxes. Due to their elasticity, the lungs tend to return to their original volume, squeezing out excess air. With a strained exhalation, the muscle mass of the abdominal press and the muscles connecting the ribs are tensed.

When you sneeze or cough, the abdominal muscles contract and intra-abdominal pressure is transmitted through the diaphragm to the lungs.

The pulmonary blood vessels emerge from the right atrium and wrap around the pulmonary trunk. Then the blood is distributed to the pulmonary arteries (left and right). In the lung, the vessels run parallel to the bronchi and very close to them.

The result is the enrichment of red blood cells with oxygen. Blood, leaving the alveoli, moves to the left side of the heart. Inhaled air changes the gas composition of the alveolar voids. Oxygen levels increase and carbon dioxide levels decrease. Blood moves through the alveolar capillaries very slowly, and hemoglobin has time to attach the oxygen contained in the alveolus. At the same time, carbon dioxide is released into the alveolus.

Thus, there is a continuous gas exchange between the atmosphere and the blood.

The main differences between the lungs of a smoker

Healthy people have special cilia on the surface of the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract, which with flickering movements prevent the penetration of pathogens into the body. Tobacco smoke damages these cilia, sticking them with greasy soot and tar. As a result, any "infection" without delay moves into the deeper respiratory sections.

Inflammatory processes each time will move further and further, covering all the lungs of a smoker.

On the pleural surface of the lungs, nicotine tar (or resins) settles, which clogs the alveoli, preventing gas exchange.

When tobacco is burned, the highly toxic carcinogen benzapyrene is released. It causes oncological diseases of the lungs, larynx, oral cavity and other “smoke-conducting” organs.

The type of smoker's lungs depends on the person's age, length of service and place of residence. The lungs of a heavy smoker resemble moldy black cheese gnawed by worms and mice.

Tobacco smoke is a container of 4000 chemical compounds: gaseous and solid particles, of which about 40 are carcinogenic: acetone, acetaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, hydrocyanic acid, nitrobenzene, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and other extremely "useful" substances.

Frequent repeated inflammation leads to irreversible lung damage. Toxins kill the "breathing tissue" of the lungs. Under the influence of resins, it is transformed into fibrous connective tissue, which is not able to provide gas exchange. The useful area of the lungs decreases, and the amount of oxygen entering the blood is sharply reduced. Lack of oxygen leads to constriction of the bronchi. The destructive effect of smoke provokes chronic obstruction of the lungs.

The lungs of smokers living in large industrial cities are especially affected. Their lungs are already covered with a layer of soot from automobile exhausts, emissions by various enterprises into the atmosphere of combustion products and chemical reactions.

Even if we forget about the toxic effects of tobacco smoke, then one of the main symptoms - oxygen starvation - is a serious reason to think. The cells of the human body in such a stressful situation age at a catastrophic rate. The heart, in a futile attempt to enrich the blood with oxygen, nurses its resource many times faster. From chronic hypoxia (lack of oxygen), brain cells die en masse. Man is intellectually degrading.

Due to poor blood supply, the complexion and skin condition deteriorate. Chronic bronchitis can become the most harmless disease of a smoker.

Ways to heal the lungs

There is a widespread myth that once you quit smoking, your lungs will return to normal within a short time. It is not true. Years of normality are also required to remove accumulated toxins from the lungs for years. Destroyed lung tissue is almost impossible to restore.

For ex-smokers to return to normal, some recommendations should be followed:

Every morning you need to drink a glass of milk, as this product is an excellent adsorbent that binds and removes toxic substances from the body.

Actively take vitamins B and C, since cigarettes every day depleted your personal reserves of these chemical compounds.

Don't jump right into the sport. Let the body return to normal. Your worn out heart and battered lungs won't get excited about intense physical activity. Better spend more in the fresh air, walk, swim.

Drink at least a liter of orange or lemon juice daily. This will help your body recover faster.

Even if you do not smoke, but simply live in a large ecologically polluted city, you will be able to improve and cleanse your lungs with the help of good old folk medicine.

Spruce shoots. It is necessary to collect young green shoots at the ends of spruce branches. Harvesting is best in May or June. A layer of shoots is placed at the bottom of a liter container, sprinkled with sugar. Next - again a layer of shoots and again a layer of sugar. Components fit tightly. The jar is placed in the refrigerator, after 3 weeks the shoots release juice, and sugar syrup is formed. The syrup is filtered and stored in a cold place without light. It is taken in a dessert spoon 3 times a day until the jar runs out. The drug cleanses the bronchi and lungs from toxins, "garbage". The procedure is carried out once a year.

Inhalation of essential oils. Boil about half a liter of water in an enameled container. Without removing the container from the flame, add a teaspoon of marjoram, eucalyptus or pine oil. We take it off the fire. Next, we bend over the container and inhale the vapors for seven to ten minutes. The course period is two weeks.

Any breathing exercises(especially yoga) will help your lungs clear and tone up.

In any situation, try to take care of your lungs - visit the countryside more often, on the coast, in the mountains. Sports, prevention of respiratory diseases will help keep your lungs in order for a long time.

Breathe easy and be healthy!

Next article.

The lungs are paired respiratory organs. The characteristic structure of the lung tissue is laid as early as the second month of intrauterine development of the fetus. After the birth of a child, the respiratory system continues its development, finally forming around the age of 22–25. After the age of 40, the lung tissue begins to gradually age.

This organ got its name in Russian due to the property not to sink in water (due to the content of air inside). The Greek word pneumon and the Latin pulmunes are also translated as "lung". Hence the inflammatory lesion of this organ is called "pneumonia". A pulmonologist deals with the treatment of this and other diseases of the lung tissue.

Location

The human lungs are in the chest cavity and occupy most of it. The chest cavity is bounded in front and behind by the ribs, below is the diaphragm. It also contains the mediastinum, which contains the trachea, the main circulatory organ - the heart, large (main) vessels, the esophagus and some other important structures of the human body. The chest cavity does not communicate with the external environment.

Each of these organs is completely covered from the outside by the pleura - a smooth serous membrane that has two sheets. One of them grows together with the lung tissue, the second - with the chest cavity and mediastinum. Between them, a pleural cavity is formed, filled with a small amount of fluid. Due to the negative pressure in the pleural cavity and the surface tension of the fluid in it, the lung tissue is kept in a straightened state. In addition, the pleura reduces its friction on the costal surface during the act of breathing.

External structure

The lung tissue resembles a finely porous pink sponge. With age, as well as with pathological processes of the respiratory system, prolonged smoking, the color of the lung parenchyma changes and becomes darker.

Lung looks like an irregular cone, the top of which is turned upwards and is located in the neck, protruding a few centimeters above the collarbone. Below, on the border with the diaphragm, the pulmonary surface has a concave appearance. Its anterior and posterior surfaces are convex (although imprints from the ribs are sometimes observed on it). The inner lateral (medial) surface borders on the mediastinum and also has a concave appearance.

On the medial surface of each lung there are so-called gates through which the main bronchus and vessels - an artery and two veins - penetrate into the lung tissue.

The dimensions of both lungs are not the same: the right is about 10% larger than the left. This is due to the location of the heart in the chest cavity: to the left of the midline of the body. This “neighborhood” also determines their characteristic shape: the right one is shorter and wider, and the left one is long and narrow. The shape of this organ also depends on the physique of a person. So, in thin people, both lungs are narrower and longer than in obese people, which is due to the structure of the chest.

There are no pain receptors in the human lung tissue, and the occurrence of pain in some diseases (for example, pneumonia) is usually associated with the involvement of the pleura in the pathological process.

WHAT THE LUNGS ARE COMPOSED OF

Human lungs are anatomically divided into three main components: bronchi, bronchioles, and acini.

Bronchi and bronchioles

The bronchi are hollow tubular branches of the trachea and connect it directly to the lung tissue. The main function of the bronchi is air passage.

Approximately at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, the trachea divides into two main bronchi: right and left, which then go to the corresponding lungs. In the anatomy of the lungs the branching system of the bronchi is important, whose appearance resembles a tree crown, which is why it is called so - "bronchial tree".

When the main bronchus enters the lung tissue, it is first divided into lobar, and then into smaller segmental ones (corresponding to each lung segment). Subsequent dichotomous (paired) division of segmental bronchi ultimately leads to the formation of terminal and respiratory bronchioles - the smallest branches of the bronchial tree.

Each bronchus consists of three membranes:

external (connective tissue);
fibromuscular (contains cartilage tissue);
internal mucosa, which is covered with ciliated epithelium.

As the diameter of the bronchi decreases (in the process of branching), cartilage and mucous membrane gradually disappear. The smallest bronchi (bronchioles) no longer contain cartilage in their structure, the mucous membrane is also absent. Instead, a thin layer of cuboidal epithelium appears.

Acini

The division of terminal bronchioles leads to the formation of several orders of respiratory. From each respiratory bronchiole, alveolar passages branch out in all directions, which blindly end in alveolar sacs (alveoli). The shell of the alveoli is densely covered with a capillary network. It is here that gas exchange takes place between inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide.

The alveoli are very small and ranges from 150 microns in a newborn to 280–300 microns in an adult.

The inner surface of each alveoli is covered with a special substance - a surfactant. It prevents its subsidence, as well as the penetration of fluid into the structures of the respiratory system. In addition, the surfactant has bactericidal properties and is involved in some immune defense reactions.

The structure, which includes the respiratory bronchiole and the alveolar ducts and sacs emanating from it, is called the primary lobule of the lung. It has been established that approximately 14-16 respiratory ones come from one terminal bronchiole. Consequently, such a number of primary lobules of the lung forms the main structural unit of the parenchyma of the lung tissue - the acinus.

This anatomical-functional structure got its name because of its characteristic appearance, reminiscent of a bunch of grapes (lat. Acinus - “bunch”). There are approximately 30,000 acini in the human body.

The total area of the respiratory surface of the lung tissue due to the alveoli ranges from 30 sq. meters when exhaling and up to about 100 sq. meters while inhaling.

LOBES AND SEGMENTS OF THE LUNG

Acini form lobules from which are formed segments, and from the segments - shares that make up the whole lung.

There are three lobes in the right lung, and two in the left (due to its smaller size). In both lungs, the upper and lower lobes are distinguished, and the middle one is also distinguished by the right. The lobes are separated from each other by grooves (fissures).

Shares subdivided into segments, which do not have a visible demarcation in the form of connective tissue layers. Usually There are ten segments in the right lung and eight in the left.. Each segment contains a segmental bronchus and a corresponding branch of the pulmonary artery. The appearance of the pulmonary segment resembles an irregularly shaped pyramid, the apex of which faces the pulmonary gates, and the base faces the pleural sheet.

The upper lobe of each lung has an anterior segment. The right lung also has an apical and posterior segments, while the left lung has an apical-posterior and two lingual (upper and lower) segments.

In the lower lobe of each lung, the upper, anterior, lateral, and posterior basal segments are distinguished. In addition, the mediobasal segment is determined in the left lung.

In the middle lobe of the right lung, two segments are distinguished: medial and lateral.

The division into segments of the human lungs is necessary to determine the clear localization of pathological changes in the lung tissue, which is especially important for practitioners, for example, in the process of treating and monitoring the course of pneumonia.

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE

The main function of the lungs is gas exchange, in which carbon dioxide is removed from the blood while simultaneously saturating it with oxygen, which is necessary for the normal metabolism of almost all organs and tissues of the human body.

Oxygenated when inhaled Air travels through the bronchial tree to the alveoli. The “waste” blood from the pulmonary circulation, which contains a large amount of carbon dioxide, also enters there. After gas exchange, carbon dioxide is again expelled through the bronchial tree during exhalation. And oxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation and is sent further to the organs and systems of the human body.

The act of breathing in humans is involuntary, reflex. A special structure of the brain is responsible for this - the medulla oblongata (respiratory center). According to the degree of saturation of the blood with carbon dioxide, the rate and depth of breathing is regulated, which becomes deeper and more frequent with an increase in the concentration of this gas.

There is no muscle tissue in the lungs. Therefore, their participation in the act of breathing is exclusively passive: expansion and contraction during movements of the chest.

Breathing involves the muscles of the diaphragm and chest. Accordingly, there are two types of breathing: abdominal and chest.

On inspiration, the volume of the chest cavity increases, in it creates a negative pressure(below atmospheric), which allows air to flow freely into the lungs. This is done by contraction of the diaphragm and the muscular skeleton of the chest (intercostal muscles), which leads to a rise and divergence of the ribs.

On exhalation, on the contrary, the pressure becomes higher than atmospheric pressure, and the removal of air saturated with carbon dioxide is carried out in an almost passive way. In this case, the volume of the chest cavity decreases due to the relaxation of the respiratory muscles and the lowering of the ribs.

In some pathological conditions, the so-called auxiliary respiratory muscles are included in the act of breathing: the neck, abdominal muscles, etc.

The amount of air that a person inhales and exhales at a time (tidal volume) is about half a liter. An average of 16-18 respiratory movements are performed per minute. During the day, more than 13 thousand liters of air!

The average lung capacity is approximately 3-6 liters. In humans, it is excessive: during inspiration, we use only about one-eighth of this capacity.

In addition to gas exchange, the human lungs have other functions:

Participation in maintaining the acid-base balance.
Removal of toxins, essential oils, alcohol vapors, etc.
Maintaining the body's water balance. Normally, about half a liter of water per day evaporates through the lungs. In extreme situations, the daily excretion of water can reach 8-10 liters.
The ability to retain and dissolve cell conglomerates, fatty microemboli and fibrin clots.
Participation in the processes of blood coagulation (coagulation).
Phagocytic activity - participation in the work of the immune system.

Consequently, the structure and functions of the human lungs are closely interconnected, which makes it possible to ensure the smooth operation of the entire human body.

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While a person is alive, he breathes. What is breath? These are processes that continuously supply all organs and tissues with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body, which is formed as a result of the work of the metabolic system. Performs these vital processes which interacts directly with the cardiovascular system. To understand how gas exchange occurs in the human body, one should study the structure and functions of the lungs.

Why does a person breathe?

Breathing is the only way to obtain oxygen. It is impossible to delay it for a long time, as the body requires another portion. Why is oxygen needed at all? Without it, metabolism will not occur, the brain and all other human organs will not work. With the participation of oxygen, nutrients are broken down, energy is released, and each cell is enriched with them. Respiration is called gas exchange. And this is fair. After all, the peculiarities of the respiratory system are to take oxygen from the air that has entered the body, and remove carbon dioxide.

What are human lungs

Their anatomy is quite complex and variable. This organ is paired. Its location is the chest cavity. The lungs are adjacent to the heart on both sides - on the right and on the left. Nature has made sure that both of these most important organs are protected from squeezing, blows, etc. In front, the barrier to damage is the back - the spinal column, and the ribs on the sides.

The lungs are literally pierced with hundreds of branches of the bronchi, with alveoli the size of a pinhead located at their ends. There are up to 300 million of them in the body of a healthy person. Alveoli play an important role: they supply blood vessels with oxygen and, having a branched system, are able to provide a large area for gas exchange. Just imagine: they can cover the entire surface of the tennis court!

In appearance, the lungs resemble semi-cones, the bases of which are adjacent to the diaphragm, and the tops with rounded ends protrude 2-3 cm above the clavicle. A rather peculiar organ is the human lungs. The anatomy of the right and left lobe is different. So, the first is slightly larger in volume than the second, while it is somewhat shorter and wider. Each half of the organ is covered with a pleura, consisting of two sheets: one is fused with the chest, the other is with the surface of the lung. The outer pleura contains glandular cells that produce fluid into the pleural cavity.

The inner surface of each lung has a recess, which is called the gate. They include the bronchi, the base of which has the form of a branching tree, and the pulmonary artery, and a pair of pulmonary veins exits.

Human lungs. Their functions

Of course, there are no secondary organs in the human body. The lungs are also important in ensuring human life. What kind of work do they do?

The main function of the lungs is to carry out the respiratory process. Man lives while he breathes. If the supply of oxygen to the body is cut off, death will occur.
The work of the human lungs is to remove carbon dioxide, due to which the body maintains an acid-base balance. Through these organs, a person gets rid of volatile substances: alcohol, ammonia, acetone, chloroform, ether.

The functions of the human lungs are not limited to this. A paired organ is also involved in which comes into contact with air. The result is an interesting chemical reaction. Oxygen molecules in the air and carbon dioxide molecules in dirty blood change places, i.e. oxygen replaces carbon dioxide.
Various functions of the lungs allow them to participate in the water exchange that occurs in the body. Through them, up to 20% of the liquid is excreted.
The lungs are active participants in the process of thermoregulation. They release 10% of their heat into the atmosphere when they exhale air.
Regulation is not complete without the participation of the lungs in this process.

How do the lungs work?

The functions of the human lungs are to transport the oxygen contained in the air into the blood, use it, and remove carbon dioxide from the body. The lungs are fairly large soft organs with spongy tissue. The inhaled air enters the air sacs. They are separated by thin walls with capillaries.

There are only small cells between blood and air. Therefore, thin walls do not constitute obstacles for inhaled gases, which contributes to good permeability through them. In this case, the functions of the human lungs are to use the necessary and remove unnecessary gases. Lung tissues are very elastic. When you inhale, the chest expands and the lungs increase in volume.

The windpipe, represented by the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, has the form of a tube 10-15 cm long, divided into two parts, which are called bronchi. Air passing through them enters the air sacs. And when you exhale, there is a decrease in the volume of the lungs, a decrease in the size of the chest, a partial closure of the pulmonary valve, which allows the air to exit again. This is how the human lungs work.

Their structure and functions are such that the capacity of this organ is measured by the amount of inhaled and exhaled air. So, for men, it is equal to seven pints, for women - five. The lungs are never empty. The air left after exhalation is called residual air. When you inhale, it mixes with fresh air. Therefore, breathing is a conscious and at the same time unconscious process that occurs constantly. A person breathes when he sleeps, but he does not think about it. At the same time, if desired, you can briefly stop breathing. For example, being under water.

Interesting facts about lung function

They are able to pump 10 thousand liters of inhaled air per day. But it is not always crystal clear. Together with oxygen, dust, many microbes and foreign particles enter our body. Therefore, the lungs perform the function of protecting against all unwanted impurities in the air.

The walls of the bronchi have many tiny villi. They are needed in order to trap germs and dust. And the mucus produced by the cells of the walls of the respiratory tract lubricates these villi, and then is excreted when you cough.

It consists of organs and tissues that fully provide ventilation and respiration. In the implementation of gas exchange - the main link in the metabolism - are the functions of the respiratory system. The latter is responsible only for pulmonary (external) respiration. It includes:

1. consisting of the nose and its cavity, larynx, trachea, bronchi.

The nose and its cavity are heated, humidified and filtered by the inhaled air. Its cleansing is achieved by numerous hard hairs and goblet cells with cilia.

The larynx is located between the root of the tongue and the trachea. Its cavity is separated by a mucous membrane in the form of two folds. In the middle they are not completely fused. The gap between them is called the voice.

The trachea originates from the larynx. In the chest, it is divided into bronchi: right and left.

2. Lungs with densely branched vessels, bronchioles and alveolar sacs. In them, the gradual division of the main bronchi into small tubes begins, which are called bronchioles. They consist of the smallest structural elements of the lung - lobules.

The right ventricle of the heart carries blood to the pulmonary artery. It is divided into left and right. Branching of the arteries follows the bronchi, braiding the alveoli and forming small capillaries.

3. The musculoskeletal system, thanks to which a person is not limited in respiratory movements.

These are ribs, muscles, diaphragm. They monitor the integrity of the airways and maintain them during various postures and body movements. Muscles, contracting and relaxing, contribute to the change. The diaphragm is designed to separate the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. It is the main muscle involved in normal inspiration.

The person breathes through the nose. Then the air passes through the airways and enters the human lungs, the structure and functions of which ensure the further functioning of the respiratory system. This is purely a physiological factor. This breathing is called nasal. In the cavity of this organ, heating, humidification and air purification occur. If the nasal mucosa is irritated, the person sneezes and protective mucus begins to be released. Nasal breathing may be difficult. The air then enters the throat through the mouth. Such breathing is said to be oral and, in fact, is pathological. In this case, the functions of the nasal cavity are disturbed, which causes various respiratory diseases.

From the pharynx, air is directed to the larynx, which performs other functions besides carrying oxygen further into the respiratory tract, in particular, reflexogenic. If irritation of this organ occurs, a cough or spasm appears. In addition, the larynx is involved in sound production. This is important for any person, since his communication with other people occurs through speech. continue to heat and humidify the air, but this is not their main function. Performing a certain work, they regulate the volume of inhaled air.

Respiratory system. Functions

The air surrounding us contains oxygen in its composition, which can penetrate into our body and through the skin. But its quantity is not enough to sustain life. That's what the respiratory system is for. Transportation of necessary substances and gases is carried out by the circulatory system. The structure of the respiratory system is such that it is able to supply the body with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from it. It performs the following functions:

Regulates, conducts, humidifies and degreases the air, removes dust particles.
Protects the respiratory tract from food particles.
Carries air into the trachea from the larynx.
Improves gas exchange between lungs and blood.
It transports venous blood to the lungs.
It oxygenates the blood and removes carbon dioxide.
Performs a protective function.
Delays and resolves blood clots, particles of foreign origin, emboli.
Carries out the exchange of necessary substances.

An interesting fact is that with age there is a limitation of the functionality of the respiratory system. The level of ventilation of the lungs and the work of breathing decreases. The causes of such disorders can be various changes in the bones and muscles of a person. As a result, the shape of the chest changes, its mobility decreases. This leads to a decrease in the capacity of the respiratory system.

Phases of breathing

When you inhale, oxygen from the alveoli of the lungs enters the blood, namely into the red blood cells. From here, on the contrary, carbon dioxide passes into the air, which contained oxygen. From the moment of entry to the exit of air from the lungs, its pressure in the organ increases, which stimulates the diffusion of gases.

When exhaling, a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is created in the alveoli of the lungs. Diffusion of gases begins to take place more actively: carbon dioxide and oxygen.

Each time after exhalation, a pause is created. This is because there is no diffusion of gases, since the pressure of the air remaining in the lungs is negligible, much lower than atmospheric pressure.

As long as I breathe, I live. Breathing process

Oxygen enters the child in the womb through her blood, so the baby's lungs do not take part in the process, they are filled with liquid. When a baby is born and takes its first breath, the lungs begin to work. The structure and functions are such that they are able to provide the human body with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.
Signals about the amount of oxygen required in a specific period of time are given by the respiratory center, which is located in the brain. So, during sleep, oxygen is required much less than during working hours.
The volume of air entering the lungs is regulated by messages sent by the brain.

During the receipt of this signal, the diaphragm expands, which leads to stretching of the chest. This maximizes the volume that the lungs take up as they expand during inhalation.
During expiration, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, and the volume of the chest decreases. This causes air to be pushed out of the lungs.

Types of breathing

Clavicular. When a person is hunched over, his shoulders are raised and his stomach is compressed. This indicates an insufficient supply of oxygen to the body.
Chest breathing. It is characterized by the expansion of the chest due to the intercostal muscles. Such functions contribute to the saturation of the body with oxygen. This method is purely physiologically more suitable for pregnant women.
Deep breathing fills the lower parts of the organs with air. Most often, athletes and men breathe like this. This method is convenient during physical activity.

No wonder they say that breathing is a mirror of mental health. Thus, the psychiatrist Lowen noticed an amazing relationship between the nature and type of a person's emotional disorder. In people prone to schizophrenia, the upper chest is involved in breathing. And a person with a neurotic type of character breathes more with his stomach. Usually people use mixed breathing, which involves both the chest and the diaphragm.

Lungs of smokers

Smoking takes a heavy toll on the organs. Tobacco smoke contains tar, nicotine and hydrogen cyanide. These harmful substances have the ability to settle on the lung tissue, resulting in the death of the epithelium of the organ. The lungs of a healthy person are not subject to such processes.

In people who smoke, the lungs are dirty gray or black due to the accumulation of a huge number of dead cells. But that's not all the negatives. Lung function is greatly reduced. Negative processes begin, leading to inflammation. As a result, a person suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, which contribute to the development of respiratory failure. It, in turn, causes numerous disorders that occur due to a lack of oxygen in the tissues of the body.

Social advertising constantly shows clips, pictures with the difference between the lungs of a healthy and smoking person. And many people who have never picked up cigarettes sigh with relief. But don't be too hopeful, believing that the terrible sight that the smoker's lungs represent has nothing to do with you. It is interesting that at first glance there is no special external difference. Neither an x-ray nor a conventional fluorography will show whether the person being examined smokes or not. Moreover, no pathologist can determine with absolute certainty whether a person was addicted to smoking during his lifetime until he finds typical signs: the condition of the bronchi, yellowing of the fingers, and so on. Why? It turns out that harmful substances hovering in the polluted air of cities, entering our body, just like tobacco smoke, enter the lungs ...

The structure and functions of this organ are designed to protect the body. It is known that toxins destroy the lung tissue, which subsequently, due to the accumulation of dead cells, acquires a dark color.

Interesting facts about breathing and the respiratory system

The lungs are the size of a human palm.
The volume of the paired organ is 5 liters. But it is not fully used. To ensure normal breathing, 0.5 liters is enough. The volume of residual air is one and a half liters. If you count, then exactly three liters of air volume is always in reserve.
The older the person, the less often his breath. In one minute, a newborn inhales and exhales thirty-five times, a teenager - twenty, an adult - fifteen times.
In one hour a person takes a thousand breaths, in a day - twenty-six thousand, in a year - nine million. Moreover, men and women do not breathe the same way. In one year, the first do 670 million breaths, and the second - 746.
In one minute, it is vital for a person to receive eight and a half liters of air volume.

Based on the foregoing, we conclude: the lungs need to be monitored. If you have any doubts about the condition of your respiratory system, consult a doctor.