Pleura, pleural cavity

Question 1

How many pleura are there?

Answer 1

Two, one for each lung

Question 2

What type of tissue is the pleura?

Answer 2

Serous membrane

Question 3

What are the layers of the pleura?

Answer 3

Parietal pleura

Visceral pleura

Question 4

What does the parietal pleura do?

Answer 4

Covers the inner surface of the chest wall

Question 5

What are the different parts of the parietal pleura? How are they named?

Answer 5

Cervical pleura

Costal pleura

Diaphragmatic pleura

Mediastinal pleura

according to the structures they are in contact with

Question 6

What is the cervical pleura?

Answer 6

Extends into the neck

Question 7

What is the costal pleura?

Answer 7

Covers the inner surface of the costal cartilages, ribs, intercostal muscles

Question 8

What is the diaphragmatic pleura?

Answer 8

Covers the superior surface of the diaphragm

Question 9

What is the mediastinal pleura?

Answer 9

Covers the lateral mediastinum

Question 10

What does the visceral pleura do?

Answer 10

Covers outer surface of lungs

extending into the fissures between the lobes

Question 11

How do the parietal and visceral pleura relate to each other?

Answer 11

They are continuous with each other

Question 12

Where does the parietal pleura become visceral pleura?

Answer 12

At the hilum of each lung

Question 13

What is the lung hilum?

Answer 13

Depression where airways and neurovascular structures enter and leave the lung

Question 14

What is the pleural cavity?

Answer 14

Space between the parietal and visceral pleura

Question 15

What does the pleural cavity contain?

Answer 15

Small amount of lubricating fluid, 10-20ml

Question 16

What is the function of the lubricating fluid in the pleural cavity?

Answer 16

Allows the parietal and visceral pleura to slide over each other
as the lungs expand

Produces surface tension

Question 17

What does surface tension in the pleural cavity do?

Answer 17

Keeps the parietal and visceral pleura together

so when the thorax expands, so do the lungs

Question 18

What are pleural recesses?

Answer 18

Large spaces between the visceral and parietal pleura

opposing surfaces between the parietal pleura are close to each other

Question 19

What are the different pleural recesses?

Answer 19

Costodiaphragmatic recess

Question 20

What is the costodiaphragmatic recess?

Answer 20

Located between the costal pleura and the diaphramatic pleura

Question 21

What is the function of the costodiaphragmatic recess?

Answer 21

Gives space for the lungs to expand into during inspiration

Question 22

What is the clinical significance of the costodiaphragmatic recess?

Answer 22

This is where fluid collects with pleural effusions

Question 23

What is the sensory innervation of the parietal pleura?

Answer 23

Diaphragmatic part - phrenic nerve

Costal part - intercostal nerves

Question 24

What is the clinical significance of the diaphragmatic pleura being innervated by the phrenic nerve?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

How do the intercostal nerves innervate the costal pleura?

Answer 25

Each intercostal nerve innervates the costal pleura overlying the corresponding intercostal space

Question 26

What other sensory innervation are the intercostal nerves responsible for, aside from the costal pleura?

Answer 26

Skin overlying corresponding intercostal space

Question 27

What is the clinical significance of the intercostal nerves innervating the costal pleura and overlying skin?

Answer 27

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