Effect of shape and size of lung and chest wall on stresses in the lung

Conflicting results have been reported on the changes in the distribution of pleural pressures caused by alterations of chest shape. To understand better the effect of shape and size of lung and chest wall on the distribution of stresses, strains, and surface pressures, we analyzed a theoretical model using the technique of finite elements. The study was in two parts. First we investigated the effects of changing the chest wall shape during expansion, and second we studied lungs of a variety of inherent shapes and sizes. We found that, in general, the distributions of alveolar size, mechanical stresses, and surface pressures in the lungs were dominated by the weight of the lung and that changing the shape of the lung or chest wall had relatively little effect. Only at high states of expansion where the lung was very stiff did changing the shape of the chest wall cause substantial changes. Altering the inherent shape of the lung generally had little effect but the topographical differences in stresses and surface pressures were approximately proportional to lung height. The results are generally consistent with those found in dog by Hoppin et al. (J. Appl. Physiol. 27: 863-873, 1969).