Stress distribution in a three dimensional, geometric alveolar sac under normal and emphysematous conditions

Jessica de Ryk; Jacqueline Thiesse; Eman Namati; Geoffrey McLennan

doi:10.2147/copd.2007.2.1.81

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Stress distribution in a three dimensional, geometric alveolar sac under normal and emphysematous conditions

Journal article

Open access

Stress distribution in a three dimensional, geometric alveolar sac under normal and emphysematous conditions

Jessica de Ryk, Jacqueline Thiesse, Eman Namati and Geoffrey McLennan

International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Vol.2(1), pp.81-91

2007

DOI: 10.2147/copd.2007.2.1.81

PMCID: PMC2692121

PMID: 18044070

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https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc2692121View

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Abstract

Pulmonary emphysema is usually the result of chronic exposure to cigarette smoke in at risk individuals. To investigate the hypothesis that lung damage in emphysema results from coincident weakening in the structural properties of the tissue and increased mechanical forces--as one explanation of the continued development of pulmonary emphysema after smoking cessation--we developed a three dimensional, geometric dodecahedron-based acinar model. Using the model numerical analysis of the stress distribution in normal conditions could be compared with those resulting in emphysematous conditions. Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the model at a number of lung inflation levels, using quasi-static loading of the alveolar pressure. When internal alveolar pressure was increased along with the adjustment of the material properties to represent a weakening of one wall in the acinus, increased stress resulted at the perimeters of the weakened area. In particular this increased stress was localized at the junction points of the internal alveolar septa. It was also found that under the proposed simulated emphysematous conditions, a significant disruption in the stress distribution within the acinus model occurred at low, rather than high, lung volumes. This is supportive of the physiological observation that destruction of the diseased tissue can occur under less stress than those existing in the normal state.

Finite Element Analysis

Biomechanical Phenomena

Pulmonary Emphysema - physiopathology

Pulmonary Alveoli - pathology

Humans

Pulmonary Emphysema - pathology

Stress, Mechanical

Pulmonary Alveoli - physiopathology

Pressure

Models, Anatomic

Details

Title: Subtitle: Stress distribution in a three dimensional, geometric alveolar sac under normal and emphysematous conditions
Creators: Jessica de Ryk - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Jacqueline Thiesse
Eman Namati
Geoffrey McLennan
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Vol.2(1), pp.81-91
DOI: 10.2147/copd.2007.2.1.81
PMID: 18044070
PMCID: PMC2692121
NLM abbreviation: Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis
ISSN: 1176-9106
eISSN: 1178-2005
Publisher: New Zealand
Language: English
Date published: 2007
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology
Record Identifier: 9984051745802771

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