lungcompliance
Lung compliance, or respiratory compliance, is a measure of the lung’s distensibility. It is defined as the change in lung volume produced per unit change in transpulmonary pressure. In adults, the respiratory system’s static compliance is commonly about 0.2 liters per centimeter of water (approximately 200 mL per cm H2O). Compliance is the inverse of elastance, and it reflects how readily the lungs and chest wall expand during inspiration.
Compliance arises from two main components: the elastic properties of the lung tissue and the chest wall.
Measurement in clinical settings often differentiates static and dynamic compliance. Static compliance is calculated from the
See also: respiratory mechanics, ventilation strategies, alveolar surface tension.