Pleural cavities and lungs Flashcards

1
Q

Pleura

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the layers of the pleura?

A

2 layers

  1. Visceral pleura
  2. Parietal pleura
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Visceral pleura

A

Innermost layer and covers the surface of the lungs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Parietal pleura

A

outermost layer and lines the inside of the chest wall

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What separates the two layers of pleura?

A

Small amount of pleural fluid / pleural cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

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

A

Visceral pleura

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What does the pleural fluid do?

A

Separates the two layers

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

When you inhale what does the diaphragm do?

A

Diaphragm contracts to let more air in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

When you exhale what does the diaphragm do?

A

Diaphragm relaxes / expands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

pleurisy

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

pneumothorax

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

pleural effusion

A

excess fluid accumulates in the pleural cavity

puts pressure on lungs and makes it difficult to breathe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How do you normally treat pneumothorax?

A

insert a chest tube to remove excess air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How can you treat a pleural effusion?

A

with thoracentesis to drain the excess fluid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

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

A

the superior thoracic aperture OR thoracic outlet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What traverses the thoracic outlet?

A

the suprapleural membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What does the suprapleural membrane do?

A

prevents the lungs from expanding up into the neck

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

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

A

diaphragm muscle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity?

A

diaphragm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is a serous membrane?

A

double layered membrane

parietal and visceral layers

the two layers are continuous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How can you remember visceral / parietal layers?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

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

A

the pericardium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How does the parietal pleura change its name?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

mediastinum

A

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

25
Q

What are the two recesses? What are they?

A

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)

26
Q

Are the pleural symmetric? Why or why not?

A

No

Due to the position of the apex of the heart

Apex points towards the left

27
Q

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

A

On the left side

Important to do pericardiocentesis (remove fluid from heart)

28
Q

thoracic skeleton

A

rib cage and thoracic vertebral column

irregularly shaped cone

29
Q

What passes through the superior thoracic aperture?

A

trachea, esophagus, many vessels / nerves

30
Q

What are the boundaries of the superior thoracic aperture?

A

T1

rib 1 and costal cartilage

jugular notch of the manubrium

31
Q

boundaries of the inferior thoracic aperture

A

T12

costal margin

xiphosternal joint

32
Q

What bounds the thoracic cavity?

A

thoracic wall, diaphragm, suprapleural membrane

33
Q

suprapleural membrane

A

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

34
Q

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

A

around the root of the lung

draw this out!

35
Q

costal pleura

A

lines the thoracic wall

36
Q

cervical pleura (cupola)

A

extends through the thoracic inlet into the neck

37
Q

Diaphragmatic pleura

A

covers the diaphragm

38
Q

Mediastinal pleura

A

covers the mediastinal surface of each pleural sac

39
Q

do the lungs ever fill the entire pleural space?

40
Q

What do recesses allow for?

A

space for fluid to accumulate

41
Q

Costodiaphragmatic recesses

A

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

at the bottom of lungs

42
Q

costomediastinal recesses

A

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

43
Q

pulmonary ligament

A

double layer of mediastinal pleura

surrounds lung hilum

extends downwards at the lung base

44
Q

what does right pleura look like overall?

A

continues straight downward close to the midline

swings outward and downward at the xiphosternal joint

45
Q

what does the left pleura look like?

A

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

46
Q

Which pleura is larger?

A

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

47
Q

How is the mediastinum divided?

A

superior and inferiorly

at the sternal angle and lower border of T4

48
Q

what limits the mediastinum superiorly?

A

superior thoracic aperture

49
Q

what limits the mediastinum inferiorly?

50
Q

How is the inferior mediastinum further divided?

A

anterior mediastinum, middle mediastinum, posterior mediastinum

51
Q

middle mediastinum

A

contains the pericardial sac and its contents

52
Q

what limits the superior mediastinum?

A

located behind the manubrium

limited posteriorly by T4

53
Q

where is the posterior mediastinum?

A

situated behind the pericardial sac extending from T5 to T12

54
Q

anastomose definition

A

to be linked at

55
Q

what is a line of pleural reflection?

A

where costal pleural changes direction to become mediastinal or diagphragmatic pleura

creates recesses

56
Q

where is the mediastinum split at?

57
Q

is the mediastinum itself a pleural cavity?

A

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