Pleural means having to do with the pleura , which is the thin membrane lining the thoracic cavity and surrounding the lungs. Pleural is an adjective. The word pleural is derived from the Greek word pleura, which means rib or the side of the body and the suffix -al, which is used to transform a noun into an adjective.
What does the medical term pleural mean?
Listen to pronunciation. (PLOOR-uh) A thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity.
What is the difference between pleura and pleural?
In the current review we will present the anatomy of the pleural space. The pleural cavity is the potential space between the two pleurae (visceral-parietal) of the lungs. The pleura is a serous membrane which folds back onto itself to form a two-layered membrane structure.
What is the plural form for pleura?
Pleura, plural pleurae , or pleuras, membrane lining the thoracic cavity (parietal pleura) and covering the lungs (visceral pleura).
Does pleural mean lung?
There are two pleurae, one for each lung, and each pleura is a single membrane that folds back on itself to form two layers. The space between the membranes (called the pleural cavity) is filled with a thin, lubricating liquid (called pleural fluid).
What does pleural mean in English?
1. the thin transparent serous membrane enveloping the lungs and lining the walls of the thoracic cavity . 2. the plural of pleuron.
What are pleural abnormalities?
Disorders of the pleura include. Pleurisy – inflammation of the pleura that causes sharp pain with breathing. Pleural effusion – excess fluid in the pleural space. Pneumothorax – buildup of air or gas in the pleural space. Hemothorax – buildup of blood in the pleural space.
Do lungs help blood get around your body?
Blood with fresh oxygen is carried from your lungs to the left side of your heart, which pumps blood around your body through the arteries . Blood without oxygen returns through the veins, to the right side of your heart.
What is the membrane that covers the lungs?
The pleura includes two thin layers of tissue that protect and cushion the lungs. The inner layer (visceral pleura) wraps around the lungs and is stuck so tightly to the lungs that it cannot be peeled off. The outer layer (parietal pleura) lines the inside of the chest wall.
Where is pleural space?
The space enclosed by the pleura, which is a thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity .
What is an example of pleura?
The thin serous membrane that covers a lung and lines the chest cavity in mammals. A membrane that encloses each lung and lines the chest cavity. A thin serous membrane in mammals that envelops each lung and folds back to make a lining for the chest cavity.
What cells are in the pleura?
The pleural mesothelial cell (PMC) is the most common cell in the pleural space and is the primary cell that initiates responses to noxious stimuli (3). PMCs are metabolically active cells that maintain a dynamic state of homeostasis in the pleural space.
What is the mediastinal pleura?
Listen to pronunciation. (MEE-dee-uh-STY-nul PLOOR-uh) The thin membrane that lines the chest cavity in the area between the lungs .
Who is at risk for pleural effusion?
Common risk factors in the development of pleural effusion include pre-existing lung damage or disease, chronic smokers , neoplasia (e.g. lung cancer patients), alcohol abuse, use of certain medications (e.g. dasatinib in the treatment of patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia and immunosuppressive medicine), ...
How long can you live with pleural effusion?
Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusions (MPE) have life expectancies ranging from 3 to 12 months , depending on the type and stage of their primary malignancy.
What is a pleural effusion in the lung?
Pleural effusion, sometimes referred to as “water on the lungs,” is the build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs . The pleura are thin membranes that line the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity and act to lubricate and facilitate breathing.
