ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATION OF CHRONIC PULMONARY EMPHYSEMA

Abstract

Chronic pulmonary emphysema is one of the most common chronic diseases of the lung. It may be defined as a condition of the lung characterized by abnormal increase in size of the air space distal to the terminal bronchioles either from dilatation or from destruction of their walls. Until recently much attention has been paid to the morphological changes of the alveolar walls and the disturbances of respiratory function in this disease, but the relationship between the morphological changes and the functional disturbances of the lung has not yet been clarified. It is now possible to demonstrate the fine structure of the alveolar walls in the normal and the diseased lung with electron microscopes. This paper reports observations of the fine structure of the alveolar walls in the pulmonary emphysema, and collates the findings with the results of function tests.