Mechanism of lung damage in explosive decompression.
It is known that pressure equalization via the trachea may diminish or prevent lung damage in explosive decompression. In this report, evidence is presented which demonstrates that closure of the trachea does not affect lethality in mice exposed to maximally rapid decompression. This observation suggests that in maximally rapid decompression the lungs and thorax may be treated as a closed system to which Boyle's Law might be applicable.
D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055370:Lung Injury; D008433:Mathematics; D051379:Mice; D011312:Pressure