J98: Other respiratory disorders

J98.3: Compensatory emphysema

You need lungs to breath. When you breathe in, the air with the oxygen passes through the airways to the lungs. The respiratory tract ends in the air sacs in the lungs. Oxygen passes into the blood in the pulmonary alveoli (air sacs). The pulmonary alveoli and the airways are surrounded by supportive tissue. This supportive tissue consists of connective tissue.

The lungs consist of two lobes. Both lungs are located in the thoracic cavity. The lungs are surrounded by a lung membrane. Between the lungs are connective tissue and other organs such as the heart and gullet.

In your case, pulmonary tissue was removed or has shrunk in the past. An open space developed inside the lung membrane at these places. This empty space has been filled with adjacent lung tissue. This lung tissue has thus expanded and become hyperinflated. More air has accumulated in this pulmonary tissue than normal.