THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
The respiratory system is the breathing system. In
the respiratory system air is inhaled (breathed in)
and exhaled (breathed out). Oxygen is absorbed into the blood stream
and carbon dioxide is taken out.
Activity 1
Place your hands on your diaphragm, just below your ribs. Take slow,
deep breaths in and out. Follow the feeling of the air flowing in through
your nostrils and down into your throat. Feel your lungs expanding and
contracting under your hands. Place your hand gently on the front of your
neck and hum. Feeling the voice box or larynx vibrating as the air passes
through your vocal cords.
There are two major parts of the respiratory tract
1. The upper respiratory tract, which includes the:
 nose
 pharynx (throat)
 larynx (voice box)
 trachea (windpipe)
 bronchi and bronchioles (the air tubes in the lungs)
2. The lower respiratory system, which includes the
 lungs
 alveoli (the air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange takes place)
 pleura (the membrane surrounding the lungs)
 diaphragm (the muscle under the lungs that assists with breathing)
Nose
Air passes through the nostrils, into the nasal cavity and then into
nasopharynx (where the nose joins the throat). The nose is divided by the
nasal septum. Inhaled air is filtered by the hairs in the nasal cavity and is
moistened and warmed.
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Nose
Rhin
Rhin/o
Rhinoplasty Surgical repair of
the nose
Nose
Nas
Nas/o
Nasal
Relating to the
nose
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Activity 2
What do the following words mean?
Word
Meaning
1
Rhinopathy
2
Nasogastric
3
Rhinitis
Pharynx
The pharynx or the throat has three major parts
1. The nasopharynx (where the nasal cavity joins the throat)
2. The oropharynx (where the mouth - the oral cavity - joins the throat)
3. The laryngopharnyx (where the pharynx joins the larynx or voice box)
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Pharynx
(Throat)
Pharyng
Pharyng/o
Pharyngeal
Relating to the
throat or pharynx
Pharyngitis
Inflammation of the
throat or pharynx
Activity 3
Using the appropriate word parts, construct a word that means
Meaning
1
Relating to the throat and nose (use nas/o)
2
Inflammation to the throat and nose (use
nas/o)
3
Surgical incision into the throat
Word
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Larynx
The larynx or the voice box sits below the pharynx. It contains the vocal
chords and the epiglottis, a lid-like piece of cartilage that prevents food
from entering the trachea.
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Larynx
(voice
box)
laryng
laryng/o
laryngeal
Relating to the
larynx or voice
box
laryngectomy Excision of the
larynx
New suffix Meaning
-spasm
Example
A
sudden
involuntary Laryngospasm – spasm of
contraction of smooth muscle the larynx
(a spasm)
Activity 4
Give the meaning of the following words
Word
Meaning
1
Laryngalgia
2
laryngopharyngitis
Trachea
The trachea, or windpipe, is a smooth, muscular, tube that carries air to
the lungs. Rings of cartilage stop this tube from collapsing.
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Trachea
trache
Trache/o
tracheal
Relating to the
trachea
tracheostomy Opening from the
trachea to the
body surface
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Activity 5
Write the meanings of the following words
Word
Meaning
1
Tracheolaryngeal
2
Tracheotomy
Bronchial tree
The trachea divides into two main braches called right and left bronchi
(singular = bronchus). These bronchi enter the right and left lungs. This
forms a structure like an upside down tree, where the trachea is the trunk
and the bronchi form the main braches. These bronchi divide and
subdivide into smaller bronchial tubes and eventually into the smallest
tubes called the bronchioles. Each bronchiole ends with the alveoli (air
sacs) where the gas exchange takes place with oxygen entering the blood
stream and carbon dioxide leaving the blood stream to be exhaled.
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Bronchi
bronch
bronch/o
bronchoplasty
Surgical repair of the
bronchi
bronch/i
bronchial
Relating to the
bronchi
Activity 6
Create a word to mean
Meaning (use bronch/o)
1
Study of the bronchi
2
A spasm of the bronchi
Word
Lungs
The lungs are the main organs of respiration. They are made of light,
spongy, elastic tissue. They inflate with the inhalation or inspiration of air
and deflate with exhalation or expiration.
The right lung has 3 lobes and the left lung has 2 lobes, leaving room for
the heart. Each lobe is divided into smaller segments.
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Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Lung/s
pneumon
Pneumon/o
pneumonopathy Disease of the
lungs
pulmon
Pulmon/o
pulmonary
Relating to the
lung
Activity 7
Give the meanings of the following words
Word
Meaning
1
Pneumonectomy
2
Pneumonia
Pleura
The pleura is a double layered membrane, a bit like a plastic bag, which
protectively covers each lung. It helps prevent the lungs from rubbing
against the ribs.
Organ
Root
Combining
form
Example
Meaning
Pleura
Pleur
Pleur/o
pleural
Relating to the
pleura
pneumonopathy Disease of the
lungs
New suffix Meaning
-centesis
Example
A surgical puncture, usually to Amniocentesis (puncture of
removal fluid
the
amnionic
sac
surrounding the foetus, to
remove amniotic fluid for
analysis)
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Activity 8
Build a word to fit the following meanings
Meaning
Word
1
Surgical puncture of the pleura to
remove fluid
2
Inflammation of the bronchi and
pleura
Diaphragm
The diaphragm is called the muscle of respiration. It sits under the lungs
and assists in the process of breathing. By contracting and relaxing it
causes the lungs and chest to move up and down.
Organ
Root
Combining Example
form
Meaning
Diaphragm
Phren
phren/o
phrenic
Relating to the
diaphragm
phrenologist
Person who
specialises in the
study of the diaphragm
Activity 9
Create a word to mean
Meaning
Word
1
An instrument used to record the movements
of the diaphragm
2
Pain in the diaphragm
New Word Roots
Meaning
Pneum/o
air
Py/o
Pus
Hydr/o
Water
Thorac/o, -thorax
Chest cavity
Haem/o
blood
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Activity 10
Read the following paragraph and rewrite it using lay terms.
Dear Dr Hibbard,
Mrs Robinson saw me last week complaining of a two-week history of
pharyngalgia and rhinorrhoea.
I performed a nasopharyngoscopy and
observed she was suffering from acute nasopharyngolaryngitis. I prescribed
her antibiotics and asked her to return in one week. On examination today,
Mrs Robinson has moderate dyspnoea, wheezing and severe pain on
inspiration. I have made a diagnosis of pneumonia and am sending her to
you for admission to hospital and IV antibiotic therapy.
Yours sincerely
Dr White
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Diseases and disorders of the respiratory tract
There are many types of respiratory diseases that feature symptoms of
inflammation. Inflammation in the respiratory system occurs in the mucous
membranes that line the airways – the trachea and the bronchi.
Disease or disorder
Apnoea
Definition
Temporary cessation
(stopping) of
breathing
Asthma
Airways disease involving inflammation,
muscle spasm and increased mucous
production
Bronchitis
Inflammation of the lining of the trachea
and bronchial tubes
Chronic
obstructive When the lungs become scarred and lose
pulmonary disease
their elasticity due to smoking
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Cystic fibrosis
Dyspnoea
Emphysema
Epistaxis
Laryngitis
Pharyngitis
Pleuritis
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax
Rales
Tonsillitis
Tuberculosis
Wheeze
An hereditary disease which causes
increased mucous production
Difficult or painful breathing
Loss of elasticity of the lung tissue and
decreased gas exchange due to the
alveoli being enlarged or damaged.
Nosebleed
Inflammation of the larynx
Inflammation of the throat
Inflammation of the pleura
Infection of the lung
Air in the thoracic cavity
Abnormal lung sounds
Inflammation of the tonsils
An infectious disease of the lung
Whistling sound that is heard when the
bronchi become inflamed and constricted
Activity 11
1. Apnoea means
a
b
c
d
2
not sleeping
deflation of the lungs
not breathing
cot death
Bronchitis is?
a
b
c
d
inflammation of the lung
severe coughing
asthma
inflammation of the bronchial tubes
3
What is the name of the instrument used to view the bronchi?
4
The process of measuring someone’s breathing is called what?
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