Pleural cavity

Pleural cavity
Pleural cavity
	The pleural cavity is the potential space between the pleurae of the pleural sac that surrounds each lung.
Details
Precursor	Intraembryonic coelom
Identifiers
Latin	cavum pleurae, cavum pleurale, cavitas pleuralis
MeSH	D035422
TA98	A07.1.01.001
TA2	3316
TH	H3.05.03.0.00013
FMA	9740
	Anatomical terminology

The pleural cavity, or pleural space (or sometimes intrapleural space), is the potential space between the pleurae of the pleural sac that surrounds each lung. A small amount of serous pleural fluid is maintained in the pleural cavity to enable lubrication between the membranes, and also to create a pressure gradient.^[1]

The serous membrane that covers the surface of the lung is the visceral pleura and is separated from the outer membrane, the parietal pleura, by just the film of pleural fluid in the pleural cavity. The visceral pleura follows the fissures of the lung and the root of the lung structures. The parietal pleura is attached to the mediastinum, the upper surface of the diaphragm, and to the inside of the ribcage.^[1]

^ ^a ^b Saladin, Kenneth S. (2011). Human anatomy (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 643–644. ISBN 9780071222075. OCLC 780984149.

[Saladin-1] Saladin, Kenneth S. (2011). Human anatomy (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 643–644. ISBN 9780071222075. OCLC 780984149.

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