Syllabus · Historical · V4 (2023) · Respiratory System
F3 · Mechanics of Breathing
F3.ii · Mechanics of Breathing
Understand compliance (static, dynamic, and specific) and its measurement.
Written examination
SAQ history
Lung Compliance
6 exam appearances
Define respiratory compliance, include its components and their normal values (25% marks). Explain the factors that affect respiratory compliance (75% marks).
27%
Define respiratory compliance (20% of marks). Describe the factors that affect it (80% of marks).
54%
Oral examination
VIVA history
-
2026A · VIVA 1
Relevant examiner prompts
How might the prone position affect respiratory system compliance?
How does dynamic compliance compare with static compliance?
This is a curve for a normal lung depicting work of breathing. How might this curve change with reduced compliance?
This is a normal graph of respiratory rate vs work of breathing. What changes would you expect to see for a patient with reduced compliance?
-
2025B · VIVA 1
This viva will examine respiratory physiology. Discuss how Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) may affect lung compliance in an intubated and ventilated patient? You may use the graph to help with your answer. (Hysteresis Graph removed from report)
-
2025A · Day 1 · VIVA 1
This VIVA will examine respiratory physiology. How do changes in the elastic properties of the lung impact lung compliance?
-
2021A · Day 1 · VIVA 1
This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology. What is compliance?
-
2020B · Day 4 · VIVA 2
This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology. What is compliance?
-
2016A · Day 1 · VIVA 2
This viva tested knowledge of Respiratory Physiology. It discussed compliance, Functional Residual Capacity (FRC), Pressure Volume Loops and the work of breathing. It went on to discuss abdominal pressure, splanchnic blood flow and pharmacology of terlipressin.
-
2013A · VIVA 8
This focused upon knowledge of respiratory physiology. The first question asked candidates to use a pre-supplied graph below to draw a dynamic pulmonary compliance (pressure volume loop) graph of a normal healthy adult, as you would see with a maximal inspiratory effort followed by total exhalation. Explain the characteristics of the curves. The other major area of respiratory physiology to be tested was that of the expiratory flow curve.
-
2009B · VIVA 1
The initial information given to the candidates was – This VIVA will assess your knowledge of pulmonary mechanics Can you identify this curve and label the axes? Candidates were tested on their knowledge of pulmonary compliance, its measurement, factors that influence it, surfactant and interpretation of common ventilator waveforms.
Sources: objective text from the relevant CICM syllabus; historical SAQ and VIVA wording from CICM examiner reports.