When one is instructing respiratory therapy students about pulmonary physiology it is often difficult to convey the concepts of pressure dynamics in the airways and thorax without the use of visual aids. The use of a realistic lung-thorax model aids the student in understanding the conceptual as well as the technical aspects of pulmonary physiology and applied respiratory care. Using available resources and existing materials, we fabricated a durable and inexpensive lung model for use in teaching the concept of distending pressures and the concepts of pressure dynamics during both spontaneous and positive-pressure ventilation. Airway resistance and compliance can be adjusted and the model can be used in the laboratory as a lung simulator for mechanical ventilation. The use of tracheal suction catheters and endotracheal tubes can also be demonstrated. This device has proven to be a valuable teaching aid in both basic and advanced levels of respiratory therapy education in our institution.
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