Radial Traction in the lungs

[3dee]

Can someone explain why radial traction increases in restrictive lung disease and decreases in obstructive lung disease?

Thanks!

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[Bernoull]

Can someone explain why radial traction increases in restrictive lung disease and decreases in obstructive lung disease?

Thanks!

U can think of radial traction as elastic springs that anchor the airway lumen to the lung interstitium (parenchyma) hence helping to keep the airway patent.

In restrictive lung Dzs, u get interstitial fibrosis and this increases radial traction bcos it "adds more elastic springs" between the airway lumen and the interstitium/parenchyma. U basically add "stuff/fibrosis" between the lumen and interstitial and this "stuff" connects the two more strongly... there's always a more complicated explanation, but I think this is easy to follow...

In some obstructive lung Dzs say emphysema (congenital or acquired), u basically have more elastase activity than anti-elastase activity thus the interstitium is broken down thus decreasing the # of elastic springs b/t the airway lumen & interstitium, aka reduced elastic recoil.

Bonus: Such airways are more prone to collapsing during exhalation (increased collapsing pressure) given the decreased radial tension to withstand the increasing collapsing pressures --> expiratory obstruction...

Hope this helps..