Pleura, pleural cavity Flashcards
How many pleura are there?
Two, one for each lung
What type of tissue is the pleura?
Serous membrane
What are the layers of the pleura?
Parietal pleura
Visceral pleura
What does the parietal pleura do?
Covers the inner surface of the chest wall
What are the different parts of the parietal pleura? How are they named?
Cervical pleura
Costal pleura
Diaphragmatic pleura
Mediastinal pleura
according to the structures they are in contact with
What is the cervical pleura?
Extends into the neck
What is the costal pleura?
Covers the inner surface of the costal cartilages, ribs, intercostal muscles
What is the diaphragmatic pleura?
Covers the superior surface of the diaphragm
What is the mediastinal pleura?
Covers the lateral mediastinum
What does the visceral pleura do?
Covers outer surface of lungs
extending into the fissures between the lobes
How do the parietal and visceral pleura relate to each other?
They are continuous with each other
Where does the parietal pleura become visceral pleura?
At the hilum of each lung
What is the lung hilum?
Depression where airways and neurovascular structures enter and leave the lung
What is the pleural cavity?
Space between the parietal and visceral pleura
What does the pleural cavity contain?
Small amount of lubricating fluid, 10-20ml
What is the function of the lubricating fluid in the pleural cavity?
Allows the parietal and visceral pleura to slide over each other
as the lungs expand
Produces surface tension
What does surface tension in the pleural cavity do?
Keeps the parietal and visceral pleura together
so when the thorax expands, so do the lungs
What are pleural recesses?
Large spaces between the visceral and parietal pleura
opposing surfaces between the parietal pleura are close to each other
What are the different pleural recesses?
Costodiaphragmatic recess
What is the costodiaphragmatic recess?
Located between the costal pleura and the diaphramatic pleura
What is the function of the costodiaphragmatic recess?
Gives space for the lungs to expand into during inspiration
What is the clinical significance of the costodiaphragmatic recess?
This is where fluid collects with pleural effusions
What is the sensory innervation of the parietal pleura?
Diaphragmatic part - phrenic nerve
Costal part - intercostal nerves
What is the clinical significance of the diaphragmatic pleura being innervated by the phrenic nerve?
Pain from parietal pleura is carried by phrenic nerve to C3, C4, C5 of spinal cord
CNS interprets this pain as coming from the C3, C4, C5 dermatomes
gives referred pain to the shoulder
How do the intercostal nerves innervate the costal pleura?
Each intercostal nerve innervates the costal pleura overlying the corresponding intercostal space
What other sensory innervation are the intercostal nerves responsible for, aside from the costal pleura?
Skin overlying corresponding intercostal space
What is the clinical significance of the intercostal nerves innervating the costal pleura and overlying skin?
Pain from costal pleura is carried by intercostal nerves to spinal cord at same level as sensory information from overlying skin
CNS interprets this pain as coming from the overlying skin
gives sharp, well-localised pain
