Pleural cavities and lungs

Question 1

Pleura

Answer 1

thin, serous membrane that covers the lungs and lines the inside of the chest wall

Question 2

What are the layers of the pleura?

Answer 2

2 layers

1. Visceral pleura
2. Parietal pleura

Question 3

Visceral pleura

Answer 3

Innermost layer and covers the surface of the lungs

Question 4

Parietal pleura

Answer 4

outermost layer and lines the inside of the chest wall

Question 5

What separates the two layers of pleura?

Answer 5

Small amount of pleural fluid / pleural cavity

Question 6

Which pleural layer adheres more closely to the surface of the lungs?

Answer 6

Visceral pleura

Question 7

What does the pleural fluid do?

Answer 7

Separates the two layers

Reduces friction which allows the layers of pleura to slide easily over each other during breathing

Question 8

When you inhale what does the diaphragm do?

Answer 8

Diaphragm contracts to let more air in

Question 9

When you exhale what does the diaphragm do?

Answer 9

Diaphragm relaxes / expands

Question 10

pleurisy

Answer 10

a condition in which the pleura become inflamed, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing

Question 11

pneumothorax

Answer 11

a condition in which air enters the pleural cavity, causing the lung to collapse

Question 12

pleural effusion

Answer 12

excess fluid accumulates in the pleural cavity

puts pressure on lungs and makes it difficult to breathe

Question 13

How do you normally treat pneumothorax?

Answer 13

insert a chest tube to remove excess air

Question 14

How can you treat a pleural effusion?

Answer 14

with thoracentesis to drain the excess fluid

Question 15

What is the opening at the top of the thorax called?

Answer 15

the superior thoracic aperture OR thoracic outlet

Question 16

What traverses the thoracic outlet?

Answer 16

the suprapleural membrane

Question 17

What does the suprapleural membrane do?

Answer 17

prevents the lungs from expanding up into the neck

Question 18

What makes the floor of the “thoracic” cone / bottom cone extending along costal cartilage?

Answer 18

diaphragm muscle

Question 19

What separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity?

Answer 19

diaphragm

Question 20

What is a serous membrane?

Answer 20

double layered membrane

parietal and visceral layers

the two layers are continuous

Question 21

How can you remember visceral / parietal layers?

Answer 21

imagine pushing a balloon in

the layer closest to fist is visceral layer

the outer layer of the balloon is the parietal layer

notice that they connect

in between the layers is a cavity

Question 22

What is another example of a serous membrane in the body?

Answer 22

the pericardium

Question 23

How does the parietal pleura change its name?

Answer 23

Becomes costal by ribs, cervical by clavicle, diaphragmatic by diaphragm, mediastinal pleura

Question 24

mediastinum

Answer 24

space in your chest that holds your heart and other important structures, like esophageous and trachea

Question 25

What are the two recesses? What are they?

Answer 25

Space formed by the parietal pleura Never filled costophrenic recess (where costal becomes diaphragmatic pleura) costophrenic recesses hang below the end of the lung costomediastinal recesses too (where costol becomes medistinal pleural)

Question 26

Are the pleural symmetric? Why or why not?

Answer 26

No Due to the position of the apex of the heart Apex points towards the left

Question 27

Where does the pericardium align with the pleura directly? Why is this important?

Answer 27

On the left side Important to do pericardiocentesis (remove fluid from heart)

Question 28

thoracic skeleton

Answer 28

rib cage and thoracic vertebral column irregularly shaped cone

Question 29

What passes through the superior thoracic aperture?

Answer 29

trachea, esophagus, many vessels / nerves

Question 30

What are the boundaries of the superior thoracic aperture?

Answer 30

T1 rib 1 and costal cartilage jugular notch of the manubrium

Question 31

boundaries of the inferior thoracic aperture

Answer 31

T12 costal margin xiphosternal joint

Question 32

What bounds the thoracic cavity?

Answer 32

thoracic wall, diaphragm, suprapleural membrane

Question 33

suprapleural membrane

Answer 33

thickening of fascia above the superior thoracic aperture which limits bulging of the lungs into the neck

Question 34

where are the parietal and visceral pleural continous with each other?

Answer 34

around the root of the lung draw this out!

Question 35

costal pleura

Answer 35

lines the thoracic wall

Question 36

cervical pleura (cupola)

Answer 36

extends through the thoracic inlet into the neck

Question 37

Diaphragmatic pleura

Answer 37

covers the diaphragm

Question 38

Mediastinal pleura

Answer 38

covers the mediastinal surface of each pleural sac

Question 39

do the lungs ever fill the entire pleural space?

Answer 39

No!

Question 40

What do recesses allow for?

Answer 40

space for fluid to accumulate

Question 41

Costodiaphragmatic recesses

Answer 41

at the sharp reflection of the costal pleura onto the diaphragmatic pleura at the bottom of lungs

Question 42

costomediastinal recesses

Answer 42

at the sharp anterior reflections of the costal pleura onto the mediastinal pleura

Question 43

pulmonary ligament

Answer 43

double layer of mediastinal pleura surrounds lung hilum extends downwards at the lung base

Question 44

what does right pleura look like overall?

Answer 44

continues straight downward close to the midline swings outward and downward at the xiphosternal joint

Question 45

what does the left pleura look like?

Answer 45

anteriorly deviates laterally at the 4th costal cartilage lateral to the sternum at 5th and 6th intercostal spaces creates a shallow notch around direct area of contact between pericardial sac and anterior thoracic wall swings outward and downward at the xiphosternal joint

Question 46

Which pleura is larger?

Answer 46

the left due to the notch created by the apex of the heart

Question 47

How is the mediastinum divided?

Answer 47

superior and inferiorly at the sternal angle and lower border of T4

Question 48

what limits the mediastinum superiorly?

Answer 48

superior thoracic aperture

Question 49

what limits the mediastinum inferiorly?

Answer 49

diaphragm

Question 50

How is the inferior mediastinum further divided?

Answer 50

anterior mediastinum, middle mediastinum, posterior mediastinum

Question 51

middle mediastinum

Answer 51

contains the pericardial sac and its contents

Question 52

what limits the superior mediastinum?

Answer 52

located behind the manubrium limited posteriorly by T4

Question 53

where is the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 53

situated behind the pericardial sac extending from T5 to T12

Question 54

anastomose definition

Answer 54

to be linked at

Question 55

what is a line of pleural reflection?

Answer 55

where costal pleural changes direction to become mediastinal or diagphragmatic pleura creates recesses

Question 56

where is the mediastinum split at?

Answer 56

T4

Question 57

is the mediastinum itself a pleural cavity?

Answer 57

No! It is a space that lies between the L and R pleural cavities