The two pleural membranes should be touching. If air creates a space between them the air will push the lung down and prevent it from filling with air. This is known as a collapsed lung, or pneumothorax. The air between the pleural membranes must be removed to reinflate the lung.
The potential space between the pleural membranes is called the thoracic cavity. This is also known as the pleural cavity in some instances.
To obliterate the pleural space means to eliminate or close off the space between the pleurae, which are the membranes surrounding the lungs. This procedure is often done to prevent the accumulation of fluid (pleural effusion) or air (pneumothorax) in the pleural cavity, typically through techniques such as pleurodesis. In this process, a substance is introduced to cause inflammation and subsequent scarring, effectively sealing the pleural space.
The lungs are surrounded by two membranes, the pleurae. The outer pleura is attached to the chest wall and is known as the Parietal pleura; the inner one is attached to the lung and other visceral tissues and is known as the Visceral pleura. In between the two is a thin space known as the pleural cavity or pleural space. It is filled with pleural fluid, a serous fluid produced by the pleura.
The pleural space is located between the two layers of the pleura, which are thin membranes that surround the lungs. The visceral pleura is the inner layer that covers the lung, and the parietal pleura is the outer layer that lines the chest cavity. The pleural space contains a small amount of fluid that helps reduce friction during breathing.
The pleural cavity is called a potential space because under normal conditions, there is a small amount of lubricating fluid present that allows the layers of the pleura to slide smoothly over each other during breathing. This space does not normally contain air or excess fluid, but it has the potential to accumulate air or fluid in certain abnormal situations.
pleural space
The thin fluid-filled space in the chest between the two pleural layers is called the pleural cavity. This space helps the lungs expand and contract during breathing by reducing friction between the layers of the pleura.
The mediastinum.
The heart.
pleural cavity.
The two pleural membranes are the visceral pleura and the parietal pleura. The visceral pleura is the innermost layer that covers the surface of the lungs, while the parietal pleura lines the chest cavity. These membranes create a fluid-filled space called the pleural cavity, which helps to reduce friction and allows for smooth movement of the lungs during breathing.
Pleural cavity