Influence of diaphragm activity on the measurement of total chest compliance.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Diaphragm relaxation during the determination of total chest compliance was assessed with a bipolar electrode introduced through the esophagus to the level of the diaphragm. Normal trained subjects and patients with chronic obstructive lung disease were studied. Relaxation of the diaphragm is seldom present during the measurement of chest wall compliance even in trained subjects; when diaphragm relaxation is not present, values of chest wall compliance are not reproducible and are often incorrect. The electro-myogram of the diaphragm provides a useful tool for monitoring relaxation and can significantly improve the reproducibility and accuracy of measurements of chest wall compliance; the abnormally low values of total chest compliance found in patients with chronic obstructuve lung disease can be attributed solely to the effects of aging.