Intrapleural pressure - Wikipedia Intrapleural pressure In physiology, intrapleural pressure ( also called intrathoracic pressure ) refers to the pressure within the pleural cavity. Normally, the pressure within the pleural cavity is slightly less than the atmospheric pressure, in what is known as negative pressure. When the pleural cavity is damaged / ruptured and the intrapleural pressure becomes equal to or exceeds the atmospheric pressure, pneumothorax may ensue. Intrapleural pressure depends on the ventilation phase, atmospheric pressure, and the volume of the intrapleural cavity. At rest we have a negative intrapleural pressure. This gives us a transpulmonary pressure expanding the lungs. Intrapleural pressure is sub-atmospheric. This is due to the recoil of the chest and lungs away from each other. Müller 's maneuver can temporarily significantly decrease the intrapleural pressure. The logic in intra-pulmonary pressure and the intra-pleural pressure is that the pressure becomes more negative during inspiration and allows air to get sucked in ( Boyle ' s law. ) P vs V relationship... and during expiration the pressure becomes less negative and ( greater than atmospheric pressure, Note : ( the partial pressure of Carbon dioxide. ) ) and air is given out... The only difference in the pressures are intra-pleural pressure is more negative than intra-pulmonary pressure... Factors affecting are : Physiological effects - 1. ) mullers maneuver - forced inspiration against a closed glottis results in negative pressure... 2. ) Deep inspiration Pathological effects : 1. ) Emphysema 2. ) Pneumothorax Condition. References ^ Jump up to : Khanorkar, p. 205 Jump up ^ Blom, p. 7 Books Blom, J.A. ( 2004 ). Monitoring of Respiration and Circulation. CRC Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8493 - 2083 - 5. Khanorkar, Sudha Vinayak ( 1 February 2012 ). Insights in Physiology. JP Medical Ltd. ISBN 978 - 93 - 5025 - 516 - 2. Respiratory physiology Respiration breath inhalation exhalation respiratory rate respirometer pulmonary surfactant compliance elastic recoil hysteresivity airway resistance bronchial hyperresponsiveness constriction dilatation mechanical ventilation Control pons pneumotaxic center apneustic center medulla dorsal respiratory group ventral respiratory group chemoreceptors central peripheral pulmonary stretch receptors Hering -- Breuer reflex Lung volumes VC FRC Vt dead space CC PEF calculations respiratory minute volume FEV1 / FVC ratio Lung function tests spirometry body plethysmography peak flow meter nitrogen washout Circulation pulmonary circulation hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction pulmonary shunt Interactions ventilation ( V ) Perfusion ( Q ) Ventilation / perfusion ratio V / Q scan zones of the lung gas exchange pulmonary gas pressures alveolar gas equation alveolar -- arterial gradient hemoglobin oxygen -- haemoglobin dissociation curve ( Oxygen saturation 2, 3 - BPG Bohr effect Haldane effect ) carbonic anhydrase ( chloride shift ) oxyhemoglobin respiratory quotient arterial blood gas diffusion capacity ( DLCO ) Insufficiency high altitude oxygen toxicity hypoxia This pulmonology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intrapleural_pressure&oldid=786199706 '' Categories : Respiratory physiology Pulmonology Respiratory system stubs Talk About Wikipedia Français Edit links This page was last edited on 17 June 2017, at 22 : 41. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the pressure in the intrapleural space
Answer: slightly less than the atmospheric pressure