BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY

MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery www.bpsu.edu.ph
bpsu.cnm.2018@gmail.com
City of Balanga, 2100 Bataan

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Consists of organs that exchange gases between the atmosphere and the blood. Those
organs are the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and the lungs.

RESPIRATION
 Overall exchange of gases between the atmosphere, the blood and the cells

The Respiration Process

The purpose of respiration is to supply the trillions of cells of the body with oxygen and
to remove the carbon dioxide produces by cellular activities.

Basic Processes of Respiration

1. Ventilation
 Breathing
 Movement of air between the atmosphere and the lungs

Phases of Ventilation:
 Inhalation
 Exhalation

2. External Respiration

3. Internal respiration

ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

NOSE
 Has an external and internal part that is inside the skull.
 Externally; formed by a framework of cartilage and bone covered with skin and lined
internally with mucous membrane
 Anteriorly, the internal nose merges with the external nose
 Posteriorly, it connects with the pharynx or throat via the two openings called the
internal nares.

Nasal bone
 Formed the bridge of the nose which support the external nose and hold it in fixed
position

Nostril
 Also called external nares
 Placed undersurface of the external noses

Nasolacrimal ducts
 This empties into the nose from the lacrimal or tear sacs

Four Paranasal sinuses:

 Sphenoidal
 Frontal
 Ethmoidal
 Maxillary
1|P age
 BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery www.bpsu.edu.ph
bpsu.cnm.2018@gmail.com
City of Balanga, 2100 Bataan

Nasal cavities
 Divided into left and right nasal cavities by a vertical partition called NASAL SEPTUM
which is made primarily of cartilage.

Nasal Septum
 (top is formed by the ethmoid bone and lowermost portion is formed by the vomer
bone.)

Vestibule
 anterior portion of the nasal cavities just inside the nostril.
 Lined with coarse hair, it filters out large dust particles

PHARYNX
 tube approximately 5 inches (13cm) long that begins at the internal nares and extends
part way down the neck.
 serves as a passageway for both air and food; commonly called the throat
 partitioned into 3 adjoining regions : nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx

1. Nasopharynx
 Uppermost portion
 Has fours openings in its wall : 2 internal nares and 2 opening leading to the
auditory or Eustachian tubes

2. Oropharynx
 Has only 1 opening , FAUCES which connects to the mouth
 Common passage for food and air.
 Palatine and lingual tonsils are found\

3. Laryngopharynx
 Lowermost portion
 Connects with the esophagus posteriorly and with the larynx anteriorly

LARYNX
 Voice box is a short, somewhat cylindrical airway ends in the trachea
 Prevents swallowed materials from entering the lower respiratory tract
 Conducts air into the lower respiratory tract
 Produces sounds, muscular walls aid in voice production and the swallowing reflex

 Glottis – superior opening of the larynx

 Epiglottis – prevents food and drink from entering airway when swallowing
 Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium

Folds of the Mucous Membrane of the Larynx

1. Vestibular folds
2. Vocal folds

TRACHEA
 Also referred to as windpipe; tubular passageway for air
 Approximately 4.5 in in length and about 1 cm in diameter
 Found anterior to the esophagus and extends from the cricoid cartilage of the larynx to
the fifth thoracic vertebrae where it divides into the right and left primary bronchi

2|P age
 BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery www.bpsu.edu.ph
bpsu.cnm.2018@gmail.com
City of Balanga, 2100 Bataan

BRONCHI
 Contain the incomplete rings of hyaline cartilage and are lined with the same
pseudostratified, ciliated columnar epithelium.

1. Primary Bronchi

Right primary bronchus

 Goes to the right lung; More vertical , shorter and wider

Left primary Bronchus

 Goes to the left lung

2. Secondary or lobar bronchi

 Branch of the primary bronchi upon the lungs
 Smaller bronchi; One for each lobe of the lung

3. Tertiary or segmental bronchi

 Branch of the secondary bronchi forming an even smaller bronchi
 Branch into the segment of each lobe of the lungs

Bronchioles
 Smaller branch of a tertiary or segmental bronchi

Terminal bronchiole
 Smaller branch of a bronchioles

Bronchial Tree
 Continuous branching of the trachea resembling a tree trunk with branches.

LUNGS
 Paired, cone-shaped organs located in and filling the pleural divisions of the thoracic
cavity.

1. Right lung
 Has 3 lobes; Thicker and broader

2. Left lung
 Has two lobes; Thinner, longer and narrower

Pleural Membrane (Serous Membrane)

 Enclose and protect each lung

2 Layers
1. Parietal pleura (outer) attaches the lungs to the wall of the thoracic cavity
2. Visceral layer (inner) covers the lungs

Pleural Cavity
 Space between the parietal and visceral pleura
 contains a lubricating fluid that is secreted by the membranes.
 the fluid prevents friction between the two membranes and allows then to slide past
each other during breathing.

3|P age
 BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery www.bpsu.edu.ph
bpsu.cnm.2018@gmail.com
City of Balanga, 2100 Bataan

Terminologies:
 Tidal Volume – is the amount you breathe in and out in one normal breath
 Respiratory rate – is how many breaths you take per minute
 Minute Volume - is the volume of air you breathe in one minute
 Vital Capacity - is the maximum volume of air you can breathe out after breathing in as
much as you can
 Residual Volume - is the a mount of air left in your lungs after you have breathed out as
hard as you can

mariacarolinelamirasantos,rn,man

4|P age