pulmonaire

Pulmonaire is an adjective used in medical and anatomical French to denote aspects relating to the lungs or the pulmonary system. In English-language texts, the equivalent term is pulmonary. The term stems from Latin pulmonis and shares its root with related terms such as pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein.

It refers to the lungs, bronchial tree, and associated structures within the thorax. The lungs consist of two lobed organs separated by the mediastinum; the right lung has three lobes, the left two. Air enters through the trachea, divides into bronchi, then progressively finer bronchioles, terminating in alveolar sacs where gas exchange occurs across the alveolar-capillary membrane. The lungs are enclosed by the pleura and lie within the thoracic cavity, with movements coordinated by the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. The pulmonary circulation carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs via the pulmonary artery, and returns oxygenated blood to the left atrium through the pulmonary veins.

Physiologically, the pulmonary system performs ventilation and gas exchange: oxygen diffuses from alveolar air into blood, while carbon dioxide diffuses in the opposite direction. Ventilation is regulated by neural and chemical stimuli that adjust rate and depth of breathing. Surface area, membrane thickness, and blood flow influence gas transfer efficiency and are commonly assessed in pulmonary function tests.

Clinical relevance: conditions affecting the pulmonary system include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary edema, embolism, and pulmonary hypertension. Diagnostic approaches include chest imaging, spirometry, diffusing capacity tests, and arterial blood gas analysis. Treatments target underlying disease and may involve bronchodilators, supplemental oxygen, anticoagulation, or ventilatory support.

Etymology: in French medicine, pulmonaire means pulmonary; in English, pulmonary derives from Latin pulmonalis.