What is the pleura?
The the pleura is called the pleura. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a thin, double-layered membrane surrounding each lung.
What it is
- A thin, double-layered membrane surrounding each lung.
- Has a visceral layer on the lung and a parietal layer on the chest wall.
- The two layers are separated by a thin film of lubricating fluid.
Where it is
- Lines the inside of the chest wall.
- Folds back over the surface of each lung.
- The two pleural cavities are entirely separate from each other.
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Last verified: 2026-07-18
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