Question

•Helps identify the underlying tissues

•Determine the note over the lung fields

•Percuss on interspaces and avoid damping effect on scapula, ribs, and female breast

•Start at the apex and proceed down to base in a “ladder” pattern (side by side comparison)

•Normal: ___________ (low-pitched, clear, hollow sound)

•_____________: lower-pitched, booming sound when too much air is present (e.g., COPD)

•Dull: soft and muffled sound when increased density in the lungs (pneumonia, pleural effusion, tumor)

fill in blanks. percussions of this part.

Answer 1

Lungs in human body are pair of organs helps in respiration. Lungs helps in exchange of gases, and is situated int he thoracic cavity of the chest. The lungs are protected by ribs and the pleura is covering layers of the lungs. Parietal pleura is the outer covering layer of the lung and visceral pleura is the inner lining of the lungs. Pleural cavity is the space between parietal and visceral pleura it contains 5-10 ml of pleural fluid that helps to prevent friction. Right lungs have three lobes and it is wider and shorter as it is sharing space with liver. Left lung is narrower and consists of two lobes and shares its space with heart.The lobes are further divided in to bronchopulmonary segments,bronchi,bronchioles and alveoli.

Lung fields refers to the areas in lungs that can be auscultated using stethoscope. Normal breath sounds are bronchial ( heard over tracheobronchial tree) and vesicular sounds (heard over lung tissues). Bronchial sounds can be auscultated on trachea,right sternoclavicular joints, right posterior inter scapular space. Vesicular breath sounds can be auscultated on thorax.

Normal breath sounds are called as eupnea and is mostly free of noise and unnoticeable.

Rhonchi is  lower-pitched, booming sound when too much air is present. It commonly occurs when there is a block in airflow that enters into bronchi. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes emphysema and bronchitis. COPD is caused by cigarette smoking, second hand expose to smoke, exposure to occupational chemicals and pesticides.

Rales (crackles) is a dull, soft and muffled sound when increased density in the lungs. Rales occurs when there is accumulation of fluid in small airways. In pneumonia,pleural effusion there is excessive accumulation of fluid results in rales.