Barrel chest refers to an increase in the anterior posterior diameter of the chest wall resembling the shape of a barrel. It is most often associated with emphysema. There are two main causes of the barrel chest phenomena in emphysema. 1) Increased compliance of the lungs leads to the accumulation of air pockets inside the thoracic cavity. 2) Increased compliance of the lungs increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure allows ...
more
Read article at Wikipedia
Barrel chest
Similar topics in Freebase
-
Wheeze
A wheeze is a continuous, coarse, whistling sound produced in the respiratory airways during breathing. For wheezes to occur, some part of the respiratory tree must be narrowed or obstructed, or airflow velocity within the respiratory tree must be heightened. Wheezing is commonly experienced by... -
Acrochordon
An acrochordon (plural acrochorda, and also known as a cutaneous skin tag, skin tag, fibroepithelial polyp, cutaneous papilloma, fibroma molluscum, fibroma pendulum, papilloma colli, , or soft fibroma) is a small benign tumor that forms primarily in areas where the skin forms creases, such as the... -
Hypertrichosis
Hypertrichosis can be stated simply as unnatural and excessive growth of hair on the body. Hypertrichosis can occur over the entire body, generalized, or may be isolated to a certain area, localized. It may be congenital, present at birth, or acquired, arising later in life. Restated,... -
Vomiting
Vomiting (known medically as emesis and informally as throwing up and a number of other terms) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting may result from many causes, ranging from gastritis or poisoning to brain tumors, or elevated... -
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (new lat., fibro-, fibrous tissue, Gk. myo-, muscle, Gk. algos-, pain, meaning muscle and connective tissue pain) is also referred to as FM or FMS. Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic widespread pain and also allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. Fibromyalgia... -
Large hand
Large hand is a symptom for some diseases. -
Nephromegaly
Nephromegaly is the process whereby a kidney or both kidneys become enlarged. -
Snoring
Snoring is the vibration of respiratory structures and the resulting sound, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping. In some cases the sound may be soft, but in other cases, it can be rather loud and quite unpleasant. Generally speaking, the structures involved are the uvula... -
Hepatomegaly
Hepatomegaly is the condition of having an enlarged liver. It is a nonspecific medical sign having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into infection, direct toxicity, hepatic tumours, or metabolic disorder. Often, hepatomegaly will present as an abdominal mass. Depending on the cause, it... -
Pursed lip breathing
Is an act of inhaling through the nose and exhaling slowly against pursed lips.