Pleurala

Pleurala is an adjective used to describe anything related to the pleura, the serous membranes that surround the lungs and line the inside of the chest wall. In English, the corresponding term is pleural, and it appears in phrases such as pleural cavity, pleural membranes, and pleural space.

Anatomy and structure: The pleura consists of two layers. The visceral pleura covers the outer surface of the lungs, while the parietal pleura lines the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the mediastinum. The two layers are separated by a narrow pleural cavity that contains a small amount of lubricating pleural fluid. This arrangement minimizes friction during breathing and helps maintain the lung’s position within the thoracic cavity.

Function: The pleura serves several roles. The pleural fluid creates a lubricating film that allows smooth movement of the lungs during inhalation and exhalation. The pleural space also helps generate and maintain a negative pressure that assists in keeping the lungs expanded within the chest.

Clinical relevance: Disturbances of the pleura include pleuritis (pleurisy), an inflammation that causes chest pain with breathing; pleural effusion, an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity; pneumothorax, air in the pleural space that can collapse the lung; and hemothorax, blood in the pleural space. Conditions can be benign or associated with infections, cancer, heart or kidney disease, or trauma. Diagnosis commonly involves imaging such as chest X-ray, ultrasound, or CT, and procedures like thoracentesis to sample or remove pleural fluid.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the Greek pleura, meaning side or rib. While pleural is the widely used English form, many languages use a cognate term equivalent to pleural to describe structures related to the pleura.