HEART IN BILATERAL OBSTRUCTIVE EMPHYSEMA DUE TO TRACHEAL FOREIGN BODIES

Abstract

Obstructive emphysema due to foreign bodies in the bronchi was described by Iglauer 1 in 1912. Since then, numerous articles on the localization of nonopaque foreign bodies through the presence of obstructive emphysema have appeared in the literature. Notable are those of Manges 2 and Jackson. 3 The recent work of Lindskog and Van Allen 4 on the experimental production of obstructive emphysema has greatly increased the knowledge of the physiology of the subject. They have shown that obstructive emphysema occurs whenever a main bronchus is obstructed by a one-way valve mechanism which permits the ingress of air during inspiration and retards its egress from the lobe during expiration. They found also that obstruction of a complete lobe is necessary for the production of obstructive emphysema. Because of collateral respiration, lobular expiratory obstruction is not followed by obstructive emphysema unless there is interference with the collateral respiration of the part