Physiology, Transpulmonary Pressure

Excerpt

Transpulmonary pressure (TPP) is a topic in pulmonary physiology that has both a traditional definition and a more modern or alternative definition. According to the conventional definition, TPP is the pressure difference across the entire lung, from the opening of the pulmonary airway to the pleural surface. According to the alternative definition, TPP is the pressure difference only across the lung tissue. This measurement is the pressure difference between the alveolar space and the intrapleural space. In other words, according to the alternative definition, the TPP is the force that opposes the inward elastic recoil of the lung at rest or the distending pressure of the lung parenchyma.