Elastic pressure-volume curves: what information do they convey?

In 1929 von Neergaard demonstrated that surface forces are responsible for a large part of the elastic recoil pressure of the lungs. On the basis of similar experiments, extended to include inflation (fig The relevance of P el -V curves as guidelines in managing ventilation to avoid lung trauma will be discussed. Furthermore, techniques for recording and analysis of P el -V curves will be briefly commented upon.