1. Chapter 13 The Respiratory System Pathology

2. Homeostatic Imbalance
Rhinitis: inflammation of the nasal mucosa
Caused by cold viruses and various allergens
Excessive mucus produced results in nasal congestion and postnasal drip
Nasal cavity infections often extend to nasolacrimal ducts and paranasal sinuses
Sinusitis: sinus inflammation
Can cause marked changes in voice quality

3. Tracheal Obstruction
Life-threatening because trachea is the only way air can enter the lungs
Can suffocate if choke on a piece of food
Heimlich maneuver is a procedure in which the air in a person’s own lungs is used to “pop out” an obstructing piece of food
Cracked ribs are a possibility if done incorrectly
Sometimes an emergency tracheostomy (surgical opening of the trachea) is done to provide an alternate route for air to reach the lungs

4. Homeostatic Imbalances
Hypoxia: inadequate oxygen delivery to body tissues (become cyanotic)
Carbon monoxide poisoning: a type of hypoxia where carbon monoxide competes with oxygen for the same binding sites on hemoglobin; victim becomes confused and has a throbbing headache and then dies

5. Cleft Palate Genetic defect
Slide 13.4b
Cleft Palate
Genetic defect
Failure of the bones forming the palate (hard and sometimes soft) to fuse medially
Results in breathing, chewing, speaking difficulties
Cleft of hard and soft
palate

6. Cleft Lip
Genetic defect
Failure of the tissue of upper lip to fuse

7. Developmental Aspects of the Respiratory System
Important birth defects
Cystic fibrosis – oversecretion of thick mucus clogs the respiratory system
Cleft palate
X-Ray of cystic fibrosis

8. Sudden Infant Death syndrome (SIDS)
Apparently healthy infant stops breathing and dies during sleep
Some cases are thought to be a problem of the neural respiratory control center
One third of cases appear to be due to heart rhythm abnormalities

9. Asthma Chronic inflamed hypersensitive bronchiole passages
Response to irritants with dyspnea, coughing, and wheezing

10. Respiratory Disorders: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Exemplified by chronic bronchitis and emphysema
Major causes of death and disability in the United States

11. Respiratory Disorders: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Features of these diseases
Patients almost always have a history of smoking
Labored breathing (dyspnea) (“air hunger”) becomes progressively more severe
Coughing and frequent pulmonary infections are common
Most victims retain carbon dioxide, are hypoxic, and have respiratory acidosis
Those infected will ultimately develop respiratory failure

12. Emphysema Alveoli enlarge as adjacent chambers break through
Chronic inflammation promotes lung fibrosis (less elastic)
Airways collapse during expiration
Patients use a large amount of energy to exhale
Overinflation of the lungs leads to a permanently expanded barrel chest
Cyanosis appears late in the disease (“pink puffers”)

13. Chronic Bronchitis
Mucosa of the lower respiratory passages becomes severely inflamed
Mucus production increases
Pooled mucus impairs ventilation and gas exchange
Risk of lung infection increases
Pneumonia is common
Hypoxia and cyanosis occur early (“blue bloaters”)

14. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

15. Lung Cancer Accounts for 1/3 of all cancer deaths in the United States
Increased incidence associated with smoking
Three common types
Squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Small cell carcinoma

17. Causes and Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Causes: tuberculosis, air pollution from motor vehicles, factories, etc. The most common cause is due to cigarette smoking,
About 15% of all lung cancer cases are small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is slightly more common in men than women, and is the most aggressive form of lung cancer.
Symptoms: bloody sputum, chest pain, cough, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, weight loss, wheezing, facial swelling difficulty, and weakness.

18. Could Lung Cancer Cause Death?
Lung cancer is a cause of death. The lungs fail to have the ability to exchange gasses properly, which will lead to death either due to a lack of oxygen or a build up of C02. The ventilator or intercostal muscles can fail to contract or the alveoli tissues are so damaged they can no longer perform normal gas exchange.