MEDICAL ENGLISH

SCHOOL OF HUMAN MEDICINE

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

TEACHER:

 Mg. Lenny Osores

AUTORS:

 Agurto Barca, Emily

 Canario Cerna, Beatriz
 Díaz Barco Rengifo, Alondra
 Díaz Corrales, Angélica
 Echeverry Castro, Dariana

DATE:

 April 10, 2018

 RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

WHAT IS AND HOW IT WORKS?

The respiratory system is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures
used for gas exchange in humans, animals and plants.

Your lungs make oxygen available to your body and remove other gases, such as carbon
dioxide, from your body. This process takes place 12 to 20 times per minute.

When you inhale through your nose or mouth, air travels down the pharynx (back of the throat),
passes through your larynx (voice box) and into your trachea (windpipe). Your trachea is
divided into 2 air passages called bronchial tubes. One bronchial tube leads to the left lung,
the other to the right lung. For the lungs to perform their best, the airways need to be open
during inhalation and exhalation and need to be free from inflammation (swelling) and
abnormal amounts of mucus.

The right lung has 3 sections called lobes and is a little larger than the left lung, which has 2
lobes. The bronchial tubes divide into smaller air passages called bronchi, and then into
bronchioles. The bronchioles end in tiny air sacs called alveoli, where oxygen is transferred
from the inhaled air to the blood.

After absorbing oxygen, the blood leaves the lungs and is carried to the heart. The blood then
is pumped through your body to provide oxygen to the cells of your tissues and organs. When
cells use oxygen, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is produced and transferred to the blood. Your blood
carries the CO 2 back to your lungs and it is removed when you exhale.

FUNCTIONS OF RESPIRATOY SYSTEM

 Provide oxygen to the blood stream and remove carbon dioxide

 Enable sound production or vocalization as expired air passes over the vocal chords
 Enable protective and reflexive non-breathing air movements such as coughing and
sneezing, to keep the air passages clear
 Control of Acid-Base balance in the blood and thus control the blood pH
WHY IS RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IMPORTANT?

Respiratory system is vital for the whole body to function properly, because it is responsible
for obtaining oxygen, which the cells need to function and replace the cells that have died for
the oxygen that the muscles need, and removes harmful gases such as carbon dioxide Also
aiding in speech production and in sensing odors.

PARTS OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

NOSE

The nose possesses a couple of exterior nostrils which are divided by a framework of
cartilaginous structure termed as the septum. Tiny hair follicles cover the interior lining of
nostrils.

LARYNX

Two cartilaginous chords lay the framework for the larynx. They are situated at the point of
joining of the pharynx and trachea. It is also termed as Adam’s apple or the voice box.

PHARYNX

The nasal chambers open up into a wide void termed as pharynx. It is a common path for both
air and food. It functions by preventing the entry of food molecules into the windpipe.
GLOTTIS
The opening of larynx is called glottis, the part of the larynx consisting of the vocal cords. Glottis
is also lined by mucous membrane, is guarded by a flap of tissue called epiglottis too.

The epiglottis is an elastic cartilage which serves as a switch between the larynx and the
esophagus by allowing the passage of air into the airway to the lungs and food into the
gastrointestinal tract.

TRACHEA

The trachea or the windpipe rises below the larynx and moves down to the neck. The walls of
trachea comprise of C-shaped cartilaginous rings which give hardness to the trachea and
maintain it by completely expanding.

LUNGS

Lungs are the chief centers of respiration process. They are located in the thoracic cavity of
the chest near the backbone and on either side of the heart. They are the pair of large, spongy
organs mainly involved in the exchange of gases between the blood and the air. Compared to
the left lung, the right lung is quite bigger and heavier.
BRONCHI

The trachea splits into two tubes termed as bronchi, which enter each lung individually. The
bronchi are divided into secondary, tertiary, and to bronchioles which is again further divided
into small air sacs termed alveoli.

ALVEOLI

These are the tiny air sacs that connect to each bronchiole. Blood passes through here,
exchanging fresh oxygen from the air for carbon dioxide to be carried back out and exhaled.

DIAPHRAGM
This is your primary breathing muscle, located at the base of your chest.

SOURCES:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8960-lungs-how-they-work

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/ccf/media/files/nursing/2013-nursing-ccrn-pccn-handouts/2013-tripepi-
bova-respiratory-system.pdf

https://www.inogen.com/resources/respiratory-lung-disease/how-the-respiratory-system-works/

https://byjus.com/biology/respiratory-system/