Suspension of the lungs | Lung

Suspension of the lungs

The lung is enclosed by a kind of skin, the pleura. The lung skin consists of two leaves that merge into each other at the point where the blood vessels enter the lung (hilus). The inner leaf (pleura visceralis) lies very close to the actual lung tissue.

The outer leaf (pleura parietalis) lines the thorax from the inside, creating a tiny gap between the two leaves. This gap, also called the pleural gap, is filled with a few milliliters of fluid. As a result, the lung is stretched on the thorax on one side and cannot collapse.

On the other hand, the lung is breathable in relation to the ribcage. The lung tissue develops a tendency to collapse due to elastic fibers, but is attached to the thorax by the pleura. Overall, there is a negative pressure in the gap between the two lung skin sheets.

If there are injuries to the rib cage or a tear in the lung tissue, air flows into the gap between the two sheets and the lung collapses, resulting in the clinical picture of a pneumothorax. Due to various causes (cardiac insufficiency (heart failure), tumors, inflammation), increased fluid can also enter the pleural gap. In this case one speaks of a pleural effusion.

The effusion normally collects at the lowest points of the pleural gap, namely in the lateral angles between the diaphragm and the ribs. In both cases, breathing becomes difficult. The lung skins are very finely supplied by nerves that can conduct pain.

Injuries involving the pleura are therefore very painful. In contrast, the lung tissue is not able to feel pain due to a lack of nerve tracts.

  • Collarbone
  • Rib
  • Lung
  • Chest wall
  • Heart
  • Diaphragm
  • Liver
  • Mediastinum
  • Dermal artery (aorta)
  • Superior vena cava (vena cava)

Here, a cut was made parallel to the forehead (frontal cut), which even affects the intestines.Both lungs are cut, the heart, which was partially covered by the lungs, is now visible in full splendor. Furthermore, the tiered structure of the trunk becomes clear: Under the thorax lies the abdominal cavity with liver and stomach, the border is the diaphragm.