|
Medical Definition of Respiratory dead space
1. That portion of the respiratory tract, from the nose and mouth to the terminal bronchioles, in which exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide does not occur (anatomical dead space), together with the space in alveoli occupied by air that does not participate in oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange (physiologic dead space). It reflects the nonuniformity of ventilation and perfusion in the lung. (12 Dec 1998)