The research goal was to formulate and substantiate the hypothesis explaining support for an expiratory air flow in case of pulmonary emphysema. The research method consisted in comparing the mechanical properties of lungs in practically healthy individuals (37 individuals, mean age – (30.4 ± 1.7) y.o.) and COPD patients with pronounced lung emphysema (30 patients, mean age – (52.1 ± 2.3) y.o.) as well as those of isolated normal lungs (n = 14) and isolated lungs of patients who died of COPD (n = 5). Pulmo-nary mechanics was studied via the simultaneous measurement of transpulmonary pressure and lung ven-tilation volume. General lung hysteresis and elastic lung hysteresis were calculated. The mechanical properties of isolated lungs were studied using passive ventilation under the Donders bell. The air flow was interrupted in order to measure alveolar pressure and develop an elastic lung hysteresis curve. Pres-sure in the Donders bell was changed by means of a special pump in automatic and manual modes. The research has not revealed any fundamental differences between the mechanical properties of the normal and emphysematous lungs. A minimum increase in the pressure inside the Donders bell over atmospheric pressure used to stop air ejection in both normal and the emphysematous lungs as the result of flap-valve bronchial obstruction. In living beings, air is ejected from lungs with an increase in pressure under the conditions of forced expiration. Pressure increases up to (38.6 ± 2.71) cm H2O in healthy individuals and up to (20.5 ± 1.86) cm H2O in COPD patients. Probably, an expiratory air flow is supported by active expiratory bronchial dilatation that counteracts flap-valve bronchial obstruction. The hypothesis is based on the confirmed ability of the lungs to perform inspiratory actions (in addition to the action of respiratory muscles) and the theory of mechanical lung activity.

The total nonelastic work of respiration (TNWR) was studied in 18 healthy people and 11 patients with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with the aid of simultaneous recording of transpulmonary pressure and volume. It was found that under the conditions of identical pulmonary minute volume at air flow interruption by valve, TNWR becomes larger compared to that at quiet deep breathing. The additional resistance was called acophased and was considered as a manifestation of independent mechanical pulmonary activity.

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The aim of the research was to determine how chronic obstructive lung disease clinical signs with lung ventilation function disturbance to various degrees correspond to respiration biomechanics and high resolution computed tomography indices. It was revealed that respiration biomechanics indices are changed at the early stages of chronic obstructive lung disease formation.

Patterns and mechanics of pulmonary ventilation are studied in sharp experiment on living rabbits (n = 15), after their sacrificing (n = 15) and on isolated lungs (n = 7). The data obtained revealed that mechanical properties of lungs and thorax - pulmonary integrity influence on forming patterns and parameters of lung mechanics during their ventilation independently regulatory influences of living organism. Classical Donders model of lung operation is incorrect for considering mechanical processes of lung ventilation because it take into account influence of mechanical lung properties and a thorax on forming patterns and parameters of ventilation mechanics.