Small Airways of the Lung

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Abstract
Recent findings have emphasized the importance of the bronchiole to lung function. The surface of the bronchiole differs from that of the alveolus. Rather than being covered by a thin coat of phospholipid, the surface is covered with cilia that are surrounded by a low-viscosity fluid. This permits the removal of foreign particles. Surface forces are important to bronchiole function. The diameter of the bronchiole is a function of lung volume. When the lung is partially collapsed, the bronchiole acts as a capillary tube and is readily obstructed by fluid. In patients with chronic bronchitis, obstruction is related to narrowing by fibrosis and inflammation, alteration in the secretion and loss of traction on the walls. Obstruction of the bronchiole by fluid in lung edema contributes to hypoxemia. Positive end expiratory pressure may prevent obstruction by increasing the bronchiolar diameter.

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