Bronchial tubes

Bronchial tubes. General characteristic

Bronchial tubes carry to a part of the ways which are carrying out air. Representing tubular branches of a trachea, they connect it to respiratory tissue of a lung (parenchyma).

At the level of 5-6 of a chest vertebra the trachea is divided into two primary bronchi: right and left, each of which enters the lung corresponding to it. In lungs bronchial tubes branch, forming a bronchial tree with enormous cross-sectional area: about 11800 cm2.

The sizes of bronchial tubes differ among themselves. So, right its length – from 2 to 3 cm, length of the left bronchial tube – 4-6 cm is shorter and wider left. Also the sizes of bronchial tubes differ by gender: at women they are shorter, than at men.

The upper surface of the right bronchial tube adjoins to tracheobronchial lymph nodes and an unpaired vein, a back surface – with a vagus nerve, its branches, and also to a gullet, a chest channel and a back right bronchial artery. The lower and front surfaces – with a lymph node and a pulmonary artery respectively.

The upper surface of the left bronchial tube adjoins to an aortic arch, back – to the descending aorta and branches of a vagus nerve, a lobby – to a bronchial artery, lower – to lymph nodes.

Structure of bronchial tubes

The structure of bronchial tubes differs depending on their order. In process of reduction of diameter of a bronchial tube their cover becomes softer, losing a hryashchevatost. However there are also common features. Allocate three covers forming bronchial walls:

• Mucous. It is covered with a ciliate epithelium, located in several rows. Besides, in its structure several kinds of cells are found, each of which performs the functions. Scyphoid form a mucous secret, neuroendocrinal cosecrete serotonin, intermediate and basal take part in recovery of a mucous membrane;
• Fibromuscular cartilaginous. At the heart of its structure – not closed hyaline cartilaginous rings fastened among themselves with a layer of fibrous fabric;
• Adventitious. The cover formed by the connecting fabric having a friable and not properly executed structure.

Functions of bronchial tubes

The main function of bronchial tubes consists in oxygen transport from a trachea to alveoluses of lungs. Other function of bronchial tubes, due to existence at them of cilia and ability to form slime, is protective. Besides, they are responsible for formation of a tussive reflex which helps to eliminate particles of dust and other foreign bodys.

At last, air, passing on long network of bronchial tubes, it is humidified and warmed up to the necessary temperature.

From here it is clear that treatment of bronchial tubes at diseases – one of the main objectives.

Diseases of bronchial tubes

One of the most often found diseases of bronchial tubes are described below:

• Chronic bronchitis represents a disease at which the inflammation of bronchial tubes and emergence of sclerous changes in them is observed. Cough (constant or periodic) with expectoration is characteristic of it. Its duration makes not less than 3 months within one year, extent – not less than 2 years. The probability of emergence of aggravations and remissions is high. Auscultation of lungs allows to define the rigid vesicular breath which is followed by rattles in bronchial tubes;
• Bronchiectasias represent expansions which cause an inflammation of bronchial tubes, dystrophy or a sclerosis of their walls. Quite often on the basis of this phenomenon there is a bronchoectatic disease which is characterized by an inflammation of bronchial tubes and emergence of purulent process in their lower part. One of the main symptoms of a bronchoectatic disease is the cough which is followed by allocation of plentiful quantity of a phlegm with the content of pus. The pneumorrhagia and pulmonary bleedings is in certain cases observed. Auscultation allows to define the weakened vesicular breath which is followed by dry and wet rattles in bronchial tubes. Most often the disease arises at children's or youthful age;
• at bronchial asthma the pant which is followed by suffocation, hypersecretion and a bronchospasm is observed. The disease belongs to chronic, is caused or heredity, or – the postponed infectious diseases of a respiratory organs (including bronchitis). The suffocation attacks which are the main manifestations by diseases most often disturb the patient during the night periods. Constraint in a breast, sharp pains in the field of the right hypochondrium are also quite often observed. Adequately picked up treatment of bronchial tubes at this disease allows to reduce the frequency of attacks;
• The Bronkhospastichesky syndrome (also known as a bronchospasm) is characterized by a spasm of unstriated muscles of bronchial tubes at which an asthma is observed. Most often it has sudden character and quite often passes into a condition of suffocation. The situation is aggravated due to allocation with bronchial tubes of a secret which worsens their passability, complicating a breath even more. As a rule, the bronchospasm is the state accompanying some diseases: bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema of lungs. 

Methods of a research of bronchial tubes

Existence of the whole complex of the procedures helping to estimate correctness of a structure of bronchial tubes and their state at diseases allows to pick up the most adequate treatment of bronchial tubes otherwise.

One of the main and checked ways is poll at which complaints to cough, its features, existence of an asthma, pneumorrhagia and other symptoms are noted. It is also necessary to note existence of those factors that negatively influence a condition of bronchial tubes: smoking, work in the conditions of the increased air pollution, etc. Special attention should be paid on outward of the patient: skin color, shape of a thorax and other, specific symptoms.

Auscultation – a method which allows to define existence of changes in breath, including rattles in bronchial tubes (dry, wet, srednepuzyrchaty, etc.), rigidity of breath and others.

By means of X-ray inspection it is possible to reveal existence of expansions of roots of lungs, and also disturbances in the pulmonary drawing that is characteristic of chronic bronchitis. A characteristic sign of a bronchiectasia is expansion of a gleam of bronchial tubes and consolidation of their walls. For tumors of bronchial tubes local blackout of a lung is peculiar.

The spirography – the functional method of a research of a condition of bronchial tubes allowing to estimate type of disturbance of their ventilation. It is effective at bronchitis and bronchial asthma. In its basis – the principle of measurement of vital capacity of lungs, volume of the forced exhalation and other indicators.