Mechanostimulation and Mechanics Analysis of Lung Cells, Lung Tissue and the Entire Lung Organ

摘要

Analysis of respiratory mechanics under mechanical ventilation is crucial for a lung-protective ventilation setting. However, under the conditions of mechanostimulation caused by mechanical ventilation, only the global components of mechanical impedance can be determined. These include the airflow resistance, compliance, and inertance. Whereas in the case of conventional mechanical ventilation, the organ integrity of the lung is certainly preserved, it is practically impossible to obtain quantitative information about the local pulmonary mechanics, for instance at the alveolar level. Analysis of pulmonary mechanics at a local level requires sophisticated experimental techniques for the mechanostimulation of anatomical subunits of the lung. In this chapter, we summarize our investigations in the field of experimental mechanostimulation and mechanics analysis of lung cells, lung tissue and entire lung organ.