Lungs and Pleura Flashcards
What are the two sections of the respiratory tract?
Upper - nose, pharynx, larynx.
Lower - trachea, bronchi, bronchiles, alveoli.
Where does the trachea start, and what does it give rise to?
Starts at the lower part of the larynx.
Bifurcates at the sternal angle (lower border of T4) to give rise to two main bronchi.
What is the tracheobronchial tree?
The branching structure of airways.
Consists of a conducting portion and a respiratory portion.
What structures make up the two portions?
Conducting - trachea, main bronchus, lobar bronchus, segmental bronchus, conducting bronchiole, terminal bronchiole.
Respiratory - respiratory bronchiole, alveolar duct, alveolar sacs, alveolus.
What structures do both lungs have?
A superior and inferior lobe.
An anterior, posterior, and inferior border.
A costal, mediastinal, and diaphragmatic surface.
What structures does the right lung have, that the left lung doesn’t?
A middle lobe and horizontal fissure.
Describe the shape of the three borders of the lung.
Anterior - sharp and thin.
Posterior - thick and rounded.
Inferior - circular.
Define lung hilum and lung root.
Lung hilum - an area located on the mediastinal surface of the lung.
Lung root - the group of structures that enter or leave the lung hilum (bronchi, arteries, veins, lymphatics, nerves).
What are some major structures related to the left lung?
Left ventricle of the heart.
Aortic arch.
Descending thoracic aorta.
Oesophagus.
Left subclavian artery and vein.
What are some major structures related to the right lung?
Right atrium of the heart.
Inferior and superior vena cava.
Oesophagus.
Right subclavian artery and vein.
How do the subclavian arteries and veins relate to the lungs?
They arch over the superior lobe of the lung, as they pass over the dome of the cervical pleura and into the axilla.
How many segments does each lung have?
10 bronchopulmonary segments.
Each segment is an independent unit.
What nerves supply the pleura?
Parietal - somatic (intercostal, phrenic).
They are sensitive to pain.
Visceral - autonomic.
Define pleural reflection and pleural recess.
Pleural reflection - where the parietal pleura changes its direction of travel.
Pleural recess - the increased space between the layers of pleura occurring at the pleural reflections.
What are some examples of pleural reflections and pleural recesses?
Costomediastinal - the inner surface of the ribs posterior to lie on either side of the pericardium of the heart.
Costodiaphragmatic - the inner surface of the ribs onto the superior surface of the diaphragm.
