Bronchoscopic Anatomy
Reviewed and revised 21/2/13
OVERVIEW
Dave Pilcher’s 4 rules for finding where you are:
- the trachea is D shaped, the flat wall is posterior
- the RML bronchus is anterior
- the apical (aka superior) segmental bronchi of the lower lobes are posterior
- if in doubt, go back to the carina
VIDEO
- Bronchial Tree: Segmental Anatomy from an Endobronchial View (unable to embed)
ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE
- via adaptor
- clear plastic with markings on ETT
- Murphy’s eye
TRACHEA
- mucous membranes
- anterior and lateral walls: cartilaginous ‘U’ shaped rings connected by connective tissue
- posterior wall: muscle (trachealis, par membranaceus)
- length: 10-15c in adults (cricoid -> bifurcation)
- diameter: 19-22mm
CARINA
- cartilaginous ring that runs anterior-posteriorly between to main bronchi
- lumen narrows slightly as it progresses towards the carina
RIGHT MAIN BRONCHUS
- more vertical orientation than left
- bronchus intermedius directly ahead
- 1-2cm in is the RIGHT UPPER LOBE BRONCHUS @ 0300
RIGHT UPPER LOBE BRONCHUS
- trifurcation: APICAL, ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR SEGMENTS
- this is the only place that has 3 orifices
- 1/250 people have their RIGHT UPPER LOBE BRONCHUS coming directory off CARINA
RIGHT BRONCHUS INTERMEDIUS
- come back into RIGHT MAIN BRONCHUS
- identify the RIGHT MIDDLE and LOWER LOBE BRONCHI
RIGHT MIDDLE BRONCHUS
- seen at 1200
- D shape
- MEDIAL and LATERAL SEGMENTS
RIGHT LOWER LOBE
- APICAL SEGMENT @ 0600
- four basal segments (MEDIAL, LATERAL, ANTERIOR and POSTERIOR)
-> withdraw back into trachea
LEFT MAIN BRONCHUS
- lies more horizontal than RIGHT MAIN BRONCHUS
- it is longer and divides into LEFT UPPER and LEFT LOWER LOBE BRONCHI
LEFT UPPER LOBE BRONCHUS
- divides into SUPERIOR and LINGULAR DIVISION @ 0900
- SUPERIOR: gives rise to APICOPOSTERIOR and ANTERIOR segments
- LINGULA: gives rise to the SUPERIOR and INFERIOR segments
LEFT LOWER LOBE BRONCHUS
- APICAL SEGMENT @ 0600
- 3 BASAL SEGMENTS (LATERAL, ANTERIOR and POSTERIOR)
References and Links
LITFL
- CCC — Cleaning Bronchoscope
- Paul Young’s ICU Mind Maps — Bronchoscopy
- Procedures — Bronchoscopy (with simulator)
- Pulmonary Puzzle 005 — HIV, pneumonia and bronchoscopy
- Pulmonary Puzzle 009 — Lung collapse, recruitment and bronchoscopy
Social Media and Web Resources
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.
He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.
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