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Pleura of the Lungs

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The lungs are nestled in a cavity, shielded by the pleura. The pleura, a form of serous membrane, wraps around each lung. This membrane arrangement consists of two layers: the visceral and parietal pleurae. The visceral pleura lines the surface of the lungIn contrast, the parietal pleura is the outer layer and contacts to the thoracic wall, the mediastinum, and the diaphragm. The hilum is the point of connection between the visceral and parietal layers. The space between the parietal and...

Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

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Pneumothorax-I

Pneumothorax-I

A pneumothorax is a condition where air builds up in the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing the lung to collapse. This condition arises when air enters the space between the parietal and visceral pleura, disrupting the negative pressure essential for lung inflation. This can lead to a partial or complete collapse of the lung.
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.

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Pneumothorax II: Pathophysiology

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Pneumothorax means the presence of air in the pleural space — the thin potential gap between the visceral and parietal pleura. This condition disrupts the normal pressure balance that keeps the lungs inflated, leading to partial or complete collapse of the affected lung.Normal physiologyUnder normal conditions, the pleural space maintains a slightly negative intrapleural pressure, which keeps the lungs expanded against the chest wall. This negative pressure creates a delicate balance between...

Lung Capacity

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Robotic-assisted Left Pneumonectomy For Vanishing Lung Syndrome

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Published on: January 23, 2026

The unexpandable lung.

John T Huggins¹, Peter Doelken, Steven A Sahn

¹Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina 96 Jonathan Lucas St, Suite 812 CSB, Charleston, SC 29425 USA.

F1000 Medicine Reports

|December 22, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Unexpandable lung, a condition where the lung cannot expand, is caused by pleural disease or obstruction. Differentiating between trapped lung and lung entrapment is crucial for effective clinical management.

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International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure

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Published on: March 12, 2020

Area of Science:

Pulmonology
Thoracic Surgery
Critical Care Medicine

Background:

Unexpandable lung prevents normal lung expansion against the chest wall.
It stems from pleural disease, endobronchial obstruction causing lobar collapse, or chronic atelectasis.
Conditions like post-thoracentesis hydropneumothorax can indicate unexpandable lung.

Purpose of the Study:

To differentiate between trapped lung and lung entrapment.
To highlight the role of pleural manometry in identifying unexpandable lung.
To inform clinical management strategies for pleural diseases.

Main Methods:

Pleural manometry during pleural drainage procedures.
Clinical assessment for distinguishing trapped lung from lung entrapment.
Review of cases involving unexpandable lung and pleural disease.

Main Results:

Pleural manometry is effective in identifying unexpandable lung during thoracentesis.
Trapped lung is characterized by a fibrous visceral pleural peel without active inflammation or malignancy.
Lung entrapment involves a visceral pleural peel secondary to active inflammation, infection, or malignancy.

Conclusions:

Recognizing trapped lung and lung entrapment as distinct entities impacts patient management.
Pleural manometry aids in understanding mechanisms of post-thoracentesis pneumothorax.
Accurate diagnosis is key for appropriate treatment of unexpandable lung conditions.