This document provides an overview of lung physiology and anatomy, the mechanics of breathing, and tension pneumothorax. It describes how breathing works through changes in pressure in the lungs and pleural cavity. A tension pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural cavity but cannot exit, increasing pressure and risking life-threatening effects by compressing the heart and blood vessels. It is treated by inserting a needle and chest tube to relieve the built-up pressure and allow the lungs to re-inflate.

1. PHYSICS
PRESENTATION:
TENSION
PNEUMOTHORAX
By: Leor Surilov
Teacher: Mrs. Goczi
Due Date: Tuesday, July 19th
, 2016
Royal Crown College

2. Table of Content
• Overview of Lung Physiology
• Overview of Lung Anatomy
• Mechanics of Breathing
• The Physics of Breathing
• Pneumothorax: What Happens When the Pressure System is Disrupted?
• Why is Tension Pneumothorax Dangerous?
• How is Tension Pneumothorax Treated?
• Understanding Tension Pneumothorax with George Clooney, Ice Cube, and Mark Walberg and a Real
World Application
• Conclusion
• References

3. Overview of Respiratory Physiology
• Oxygen must be provided in large amounts to most cells
• Oxygen delivery has three stages
• External Respiration: Gas exchange between the external environment
(alveolar air) and the blood (pulmonary capillaries)
• Internal Respiration: Gas exchange between the blood and the interstitial
fluid
• Cellular respiration: Gas exchange between the interstitial fluid anf the
inner mitochondrial membrane of cells
• The Respiratory System includes the nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea,
bronchi, and conducting bronchioles
http://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/images/NAGTWor
kshops/health/case_studies/labeled_diagram_lungsrespirato
.v2.png

4. Overview of the Lung Anatomy
• The lungs are involved in providing oxygen to the body and
removing carbon dioxide
• It plays a vital role to us and therefore the lungs are encased by
two layers of tissue
• The space between the layers is the pleural cavity is lubricated so
that the lungs can slide comfortably across the chest wall
http://interactive-biology.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/04/DiagramOfLungs-891x1024.jpg

5. Mechanics of Breathing
• Ventilation is the process where air enters and exits the lungs
• It’s is broken down into two phases: Inspiratory and Expiratory phase
• Inspiration: Inspiration is an active process that requires the expansion of the
diaphragm and also to a lesser extent contraction of the external intercostal
muscles allowing air to enter
• Expiration: A passive process in which there is a relaxation of the diaphragm,
and ribs move back leading to air being forced out
http://img1.mnimgs.com/img/shared/userimages/mn_images/image/breathing
%20mechanism.png

6. The Physics of Breathing
http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/imgbio/lungdiab.gif

7. Pneumothorax: What Happens When the
Pressure System is Disrupted?
• This leads to problems and one example is with the pleural cavity
• Intrapulmonary pressure (the pressure in the lungs) usually increases and
decreases in breathing
• Intrapleural pressure (within the plural cavity) also follows the pressure
changes with breathing and is usually a little less than the intrapulmonary
pressure
• Pneumothorax is defined when air enters the plural cavity
• There are many types of pneumothorax so were specifically going to discuss
Tension Pneumothorax
• Tension Pneumothorax is caused when there is a trauma to the lungs (ie.
knife wound)
• Allows air into the pleural cavity, but prevents its exit
• Leading to increased pleural cavity pressure
https://sbci464ypd-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/Tension-Pneumothorax.jpg

8. Why is Tension Pneumothorax
Dangerous?
• Tension pneumothorax creates a positive pressure in the pleural space that
continues to build with each breath
• The increasing pressure is then affecting the mediastinum (heart and great
vessels)
• This leads to Mediastinal shift
• When pressure is great enough it pushes that it pushes the heart and great
vessels into the unaffected side of the chest
• The structures are compressed from the pressure and cannot create blood flow
and quickly lead to cardiovascular collapse
• The Vena Cava and the right side of the heart cannot accept venous return = no
cardiac output
• No Cardiac Output = Not able to survive
http://cdn.c.photoshelter.co
m/img-
get/I0000u9wG8C1lgbs/s/60
0/600/prn85966DS.jpg

9. How is Tension Pneumothorax treated?
• Most Pneumothorax is discovered by x-ray, chest radiograph, tracheal
deviation, and breathing sounds
• However, tension pneumothorax is life threatening because oxygen
concentration is quickly falling
• The treatment for this requires the relief of pressure, which is done by inserting
a needle into the second intercostal space on the midclavicular line. Then
adding a chest tube (contains one way valve to prevent air from returning into
the chest)
https://static-s.aa-
cdn.net/img/ios/551027470/5a1a6e9649c2a1a39336f00377f6e
0c4

10. Understanding Tension Pneumothorax with
George Clooney, Ice Cube, and Mark Walberg and
a Real World Application
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opeulx2YCWQ

11. Physic Mechanics of Breathing Affected
http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/pneumothorax

12. Conclusion
• The respiratory physiology is to provide oxygen to the entire body
• The mechanics of breathing is a two step process that involves a pressure difference
• Inspiration: diaphragm contracts resulting in increasing volume and decrease in pressure in lungs
allowing air to enter
• Expiration: diaphragm relaxes resulting in decreasing volume and increase in pressure in lungs that
pushes air out of lungs
• The pressure difference prevents the lungs from collapsing
• The pleural cavity is a space that cover the lungs to protect the lungs and help it slide against the chest
wall
• Tension Pneumothorax is an example of what happens when the pressure difference is disrupted
• Tension Pneumothorax is when air enters the pleural cavity, which collapses the lung because of the
increasing volume of air in the cavity and decrease pressure within the pleural cavity with each breath
• When Tension Pneumothorax occurs it’s life threatening and requires an insertion of a needle and later
chest tube to re-inflate the lungs and remove the air within the pleural cavity
• The presence of air interferes with the usual cycle of pressure changes within the pleural cavity during
breathing and therefore impairs ventilation of the lungs.

13. References
• Brown, T. A. (2012). Rapid Review Physiology. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby/Elsevier.
• Costanzo, L. S. (2010). Physiology. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier.
• Franklin, K., Muir, P., Scott, T., Wilcocks, L., & Yates, P. (2010). Introduction to Biological Physics
for the Health and Life Sciences. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley.
• Goljan, E. F. (2014). Rapid Review Pathology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders.
• Marx, J. A., Hockberger, R. S., Walls, R. M., & Adams, J. (2002). Rosen's emergency medicine:
Concepts and clinical practice. St. Louis: Mosby.
• Natalie's Casebook. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2016, from
http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/pneumothorax