1. Schematic view of the zone of apposition.
Schematic view of the zone of apposition. On the right is depicted the relationship between the rib cage, right lung, and upper abdominal content in the zone of apposition. On the left, anatomical structures are magnified so that the anatomic relationship between the parietal pleura, the diaphragm, and the parietal peritoneum is highlighted. Arrows represent the forces acting on the different anatomic regions of the area. During inspiration, the diaphragm fibers shorten and the diaphragm as a whole moves caudally (1). As the diaphragm contracts, it lowers the pleural pressure and increases the abdominal pressure. The reduction in pleural pressure produces an inflationary effect on the lungs (2). The accompanying effects of increasing abdominal pressure tend to expand the rib cage (3).
Michele Umbrello, and Paolo Formenti Respir Care 2016;61:
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