What Is the Pleural Cavity?
The pleural cavity is a closed potential cavity formed by the two layers of the visceral wall of the pleura turning and transitioning at the root of the lung. It consists of the visceral layer close to the lung surface and the pleural wall layer close to the inner wall of the thorax. There is no communication between the left and right sides, there is no gas in the cavity, and there is only a small amount of serous fluid, which can reduce the friction during breathing. The negative pressure in the cavity is conducive to the expansion of the lungs and the return of venous blood and lymph fluid.
- Chinese name
- Pleural cavity
- Foreign name
- pleural cavity
- Types of
- noun
- Field
- medicine
- The pleural cavity is a closed potential cavity formed by the two layers of the visceral wall of the pleura turning and transitioning at the root of the lung. It consists of the visceral layer close to the lung surface and the pleural wall layer close to the inner wall of the thorax. There is no communication between the left and right sides, there is no gas in the cavity, and there is only a small amount of serous fluid, which can reduce the friction during breathing. The negative pressure in the cavity is conducive to the expansion of the lungs and the return of venous blood and lymph fluid.
Overview of the pleural cavity
- 1. It is a space surrounded by the pleura, one on the left and one on the left and right, located around the lungs. The left pleural cavity is generally slightly lower than the right pleural cavity. The pleural cavity contains a small amount of serous fluid, known as pleural fluid, which smoothes the pleura and reduces the friction between the lung pleura and the pleural wall. When normal, no pleural fricatives are heard. There is negative pressure in the pleural cavity. During quiet breathing, the lung pleura is in close contact with most of the pleural wall and the gap disappears.
- 2. The closed space between the pleural visceral wall and the left and right. Under normal circumstances, it is a potential cavity, which contains a small amount of body fluids, which acts as a lubricant during breathing exercises. The pressure in the pleural cavity is lower than atmospheric pressure, which is called negative thoracic pressure. This is conducive to normal breathing. For example, if one side of the chest wall is perforated or the lung is ruptured, air enters the pleural cavity to form pneumothorax, which causes lung atrophy and prevents breathing.
Pleural effusion
- Fluid retention occurs within the pleural space due to inflammation, trauma, tumors, allergies, and hydrodynamic disorders of capillary and lymphatic fluid on the pleura. According to the nature of the effusion, it is divided into three types: exudative, leaky and bloody. Chest B-mode ultrasound and X-ray examination can confirm the diagnosis, and the extraction of pleural fluid for laboratory examination can help determine the cause.
- The fluid accumulates in the pleural cavity, mostly yellow, and occasionally bloody, divided into exudative and leaky. The former is caused by inflammation, contains more protein and cells, and is common in tuberculosis. Bloody fluid is more common in trauma or tumors. The latter have fewer proteins and cells and are found in heart and kidney disease, pulmonary congestion or malnutrition, and hypoproteinemia. Thoracocentesis is helpful for diagnosis and treatment.
- Also called pleural effusion, refers to the accumulation of excessive fluid in the pleural cavity. There is a small amount of fluid in the normal pleural cavity, which acts as a lubricant when the pleural cavity increases or decreases during breathing. Some diseases can cause more fluid to accumulate in the chest cavity, which is a manifestation of a disease. Common causes include pleural autoimmune diseases and systemic diseases: pleural autoimmune diseases can be caused by various pathogenic microorganism infections, such as tuberculous pleurisy, purulent pleurisy, rheumatic pleurisy, or physical factors such as trauma, or can be caused by metamorphosis Reactions, connective tissue diseases, tumors, etc .; systemic diseases, more common are heart failure, liver cirrhosis, nephritis, high malnutrition and so on. There are two types of pleural effusion: leaky and exudative. More effusion can affect the cardiopulmonary function should be pumped in time; less effusion can form fibrosis and adhesions, so it should be treated carefully.
Clinical application of pleural cavity and pleural cavity puncture
- The purpose of pleural cavity puncture and drainage is to expel the gas or fluid in it to maintain the negative pressure in the pleural cavity and make the lungs swell. Therefore, the puncture site can be selected according to the different drainage materials, such as tension pneumothorax, the purpose of drainage is exhaust, usually in the second intercostal space of the clavicle midline. It is very unlikely that the thoracic vessels and lung root structures will be injured here. For pleural effusions, choose to perform in the 7-8th intercostal space of the posterior axillary line or scapular line in order to drain the effusion as much as possible. In addition to pleural cavity puncture, do not injure the blood vessels and nerves of the chest wall, but also avoid the danger of pneumothorax caused by acupuncture deep enough to hurt lung tissue.