Talk:Transpulmonary pressure
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This description implies that the transpulmonary pressure does not include any pressure drop due to airflow down the airways. The classical definition of 'transpulmonary' includes the airways, and transpulmonary pressure is defined as the difference between the pressure at airway opening (atmospheric pressure in a patient breathing with no equipment or pressure in the endotracheal tube or mouthpiece in patients breathing on equipment) and pressure in the pleural space. The equation of motion of the lung, which describes how lung volume will change in response to pressures duing spontaneous breathing or mechanical ventilation, includes both resistive and elastic pressures during breathing.
The pressure described in the description posted is the elastic recoil pressure of the lungs (Pel(L)), which is equal to transpulmonary pressure (PL)when flow is zero (statically) AND the airways are open. Under these conditions, pressure at the airway opening (Pao) is equal to alveolar pressure (Palv).
A classical citation is:
Mead J, and Whittenberger JL. Physical properties of human lungs measured during spontaneous breathing. J Appl Physiol 5: 779-796, 1953.