The total elastance of the respiratory system is the pressure required to inflate it 1 l above its resting position. This is, the applied airway pressure is spent in part to inflate the lung and in part to inflate the chest wall.
What is elastance in the lungs?
Elastance, the reciprocal of compliance, is the pressure required to inflate the lungs. One half of this pressure is spent to inflate the lungs, and the other half is used to inflate the chest wall in normal lungs. Normally, the elastance of the lungs and chest wall is similar.
How is chest wall compliance calculated?
Compliance = Δ V / Δ P
Where change in volume is in liters and change in pressure is in cm H20.
