Vector analysis in partitioning of inspiratory muscle action in dogs.

We considered the displacements and the pressure changes resulting from isolated contraction of 2 muscles as analogous to 2 vectors and those during simultaneous contraction as resultants. These were resolved into contributing components to calculate the contribution of each muscle group and partition the action of inspiratory muscles. Relative displacements of rib cage (delta RC) and abdomen (delta AB) and changes in transpulmonary (delta PL) and abdominal (delta Pab) pressures were obtained during spontaneous breathing, isolated contraction of rib cage muscle (RCM), diaphragmatic (DI), costal and crural diaphragm and passive inflation in 7 dogs. The diaphragm accounted for 58 +/- 19.8% SD of the chest wall displacement and 90 +/- 6.6% SD of the pressure swings during spontaneous breathing. The costal diaphragm accounted for 61 +/- 28.9% SD of the displacement produced by contraction of the entire diaphragm. Despite wide variability in the action of the diaphragm and its components, all animals breathed close to their relaxation characteristic. We conclude that there are marked differences in the degree of RCM recruitment between dogs in order to prevent chest wall distortions.