A possible role of the pleura in lung mechanics.
The pressure-volume behavior of excised visceral pleura is studied. The pleura is modeled as a thin incompressible membrane, and the requisite membrane tension is determined from a pseudostrain-energy function. Results are compared to pressure-volume behavior of saline-filled and air-filled parenchyma and to experimental pleural data from the literature. Results suggest that the pleura may play a role as a volume limiter of lung expansion although the need for more detailed analysis is discussed.
Humphrey
J D
JD
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218.
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010994:Pleura / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure