Pulmonary Pathophysiology in Another Galaxy

Abstract

Case studies from popular culture have previously been reported to be helpful teaching tools for conveying and integrating complex physiological principles.1 A most enigmatic case that has puzzled some anesthesiologists and respiratory physiologists for decades is Darth Vader, “the chosen one” from the Star Wars franchise; his continuous need for a whole-body armored suit that supports his breathing as well as his characteristic breath sounds indicate that complex pulmonary pathophysiological principles are at stake. Although the Star Wars movies apparently take place “a long time ago in a galaxy far far away” and people there have something called “midichlorions” in their cells (a fusion of mitochondria and chloroplasts?), we assumed that the respiratory physiology of Darth Vader was similar to that of Homo Sapiens on Earth, in an attempt to decipher the nature of his pulmonary disease and use him as a case for teaching pulmonary physiology and pathophysiology to medical students in our ward.