A device for measuring mucociliary activity in the human bronchi during fibre-optic bronchoscopy.
An in vivo method for the study of mucociliary activity in the human trachea and bronchi is presented. The method is based on a two-way fibre-optic system whereby reflections of light emitted by one glass-fibre and reflected by the cilia are picked up by a second glass fibre and transmitted to a recording unit. The glass fibre system is designed to be used in conjunction with a regular fibre bronchoscope, and is convenient for routine use in daily clinical work. As reference material, 15 subjects aged 23-73 years without evidence of disease were examined in their right upper bronchus. The average cilial beat frequency was found to be 12.0 +/- 1.0 (SD) waves per second.
Huberman
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Department of Lung Medicine, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000502:physiology*; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance