Pleura is a Double layered membrane that invests

both lungs, lies on either side of the mediastinum

within the chest cavity

Consists of:
Parietal layer
Lines the thoracic wall, covers the thoracic surface
of diaphragm & lateral aspect of mediastinum &
extends into root of neck
Visceral layer
Completely covers the outer surfaces of the lungs &
extends into the depth of the interlobar fissures
Pleural cavity/space
Is a slitlike space
between parietal &
visceral layers of pleura

Pleural fluid
To allow the movement
of pulmonary vessels &
bronchi during
respiration the pleural
cuff hangs down as a
loose fold
Is divided into:
1. Costal pleura
Lines the inner surfaces
of the ribs, costal
cartilages, intercostal
spaces, sides of the
vertebral bodies & back
of sternum
2. Diaphragmatic pleura
Covers the thoracic
surface of the diaphragm
3. Mediastinal pleura
Covers & forms the
lateral boundary of the
mediastinum
4. Cervical pleura
Also called as pleural
cupula/dome
Extends up into the
neck, lining the
undersurface of the
suprapleural membrane.
It reaches a level about 1
to 1 ½ inches above the
medial 3rd of clavicle
Each lung has a hilum on
its medial aspect. The
hilum of the lung is the
point of entry for the root
of the lung, which
includes the bronchi, the
pulmonary arteries, and
the pulmonary veins. A
pleural sleeve is created
around these structures,
where the pleura reflects,
changing from visceral
to parietal
Inferior to the hilum on each lung is the pulmonary
ligament, a continuation of that pleural reflection.
Costodiaphragmatic recesses
In quite respiration the costal & diaphragmatic pleurae
are in opposition to each other below the lower border
Of the lung. In deep respiration the margins of the base
of the lung descend, & both pleurae separate. This
lower area is called as Costodiaphragmatic recesses
Costomediastinal recesses
Situated along the anterior margin of the
pleura. A slitlike space b/w the costal &
mediastinal parietal pleura that are
separated by a capillary layer of pleural
fluid
Soft, spongy & elastic structure in thoracic cavity. If the thoracic
cavity were opened the lungs would immediately shrink to 1/3 rd or
less in volume

In child it is pink in but becomes darker with the age because of the
inhalation of dust particles

Lie on each side of the mediastinum

Each lung is conical covered with visceral pleura & suspended free
in its own pleural cavity
Lobes & Fissures
Right Lung
Is slightly larger than
the left & is divide by
the oblique &
horizontal fissure into 3
lobes the upper, middle
& lower lobes
External Features
Each lung has a blunt apex
Concave base sits on diaphragm
Surfaces
Costal surface correspond to the chest
Mediastinal surface
In the middle is a hilum (a depression) in which the bronchi,
vessels & nerves that forms the root enter & leave the lung
Borders
Anterior border of left lung is thin & overlaps the heart, it
shows
cardiac notch
Posterior border is thick rounded & lies beside the vertebral
column
 Lungs

 Hilum is a depression in which the bronchi, vessels,

and nerves that form the root enter and leave the lung

 The anterior border is thin and overlaps the heart

 It is here on the left lung that the cardiac notch is found

 The posterior border is thick and lies beside the

vertebral column
 Lobes and Fissures of Rt. Lung
 The right lung is slightly larger than the left

 Divided by the oblique and horizontal fissures

into three lobes: upper, middle, and lower

 The oblique fissure runs from the inferior

border upward and backward across the
medial and costal surfaces until it cuts the
posterior border about 2.5 in. (6.25 cm) below
the apex
 Lobes and Fissures of Rt. Lung

 The left lung is divided by a similar oblique

fissure into two lobes: upper and lower

 There is no horizontal fissure in the left lung

Left lung
Divided by
similar oblique
fissure into 2
upper & lower
lobes

Cardiac notch
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 The bronchopulmonary segments are the

anatomic, functional, and surgical units of the
lungs

 Each lobar (secondary) bronchus gives off

branches called segmental (tertiary) bronchi

 Each segmental bronchus passes to a structurally

and functionally independent unit of a lung lobe
called a bronchopulmonary segment, surrounded
by connective tissue
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 The segmental bronchus is accompanied by a

branch of the pulmonary artery

 Each segment has its own lymphatic vessels

and autonomic nerve supply

 On entering a bronchopulmonary segment,

each segmental bronchus divides repeatedly
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 As the bronchi become smaller, the U-shaped

bars of cartilage found in the trachea are
gradually replaced by irregular plates of
cartilage

 The smallest bronchi divide and give rise to

bronchioles, which are less than 1 mm in
diameter
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 Bronchioles possess no cartilage in their walls

and are lined with columnar ciliated
epithelium

 The submucosa possesses a complete layer of

circularly arranged smooth muscle fibers
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 The bronchioles then divide and give rise to

terminal bronchioles which show delicate
outpouchings from their walls

 Gaseous exchange between blood and air takes

place in the walls of these outpouchings, which
explains the name respiratory bronchiole
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 The diameter of a respiratory bronchiole is

about 0.5 mm

 The respiratory bronchioles end by branching

into alveolar ducts, which lead into tubular
passages with numerous thin-walled
outpouchings called alveolar sacs
 Bronchopulmonary Segment

 The alveolar sacs consist of several alveoli

opening into a single chamber

 Each alveolus is surrounded by a rich network

of blood capillaries

 Gaseous exchange takes place between the air

in the alveolar lumen through the alveolar wall
into the blood within the surrounding
capillaries
 Characteristics of Bronchopulmonary
Segment

 It is a subdivision of a lung lobe

 It is pyramid shaped, with its apex toward the

lung root

 It is surrounded by connective tissue

 Characteristics of Bronchopulmonary
Segment

 It has a segmental bronchus, a segmental

artery, lymph vessels, and autonomic nerves

 The segmental vein lies in the connective tissue

between adjacent bronchopulmonary segments

 Because it is a structural unit, a diseased

segment can be removed surgically
 Right lung

 Superior lobe: Apical, posterior, anterior

 Middle lobe: Lateral, medial

 Inferior lobe: Superior (apical), medial basal,

anterior basal, lateral basal, posterior basal
 Left lung

 Superior lobe: Apical, posterior, anterior,

superior lingular, inferior lingular

 Inferior lobe: Superior (apical), medial basal,

anterior basal, lateral basal, posterior basal
 Blood Supply

 The bronchi and the connective tissue of the

lung receive their blood supply from the
bronchial arteries, which are branches of the
descending aorta

 The bronchial veins communicate with the

pulmonary veins and drain into the azygos and
hemiazygos veins
 Blood Supply

 The alveoli receive deoxygenated blood from

the terminal branches of the pulmonary
arteries

 The oxygenated blood leaving the alveolar

capillaries drains into the tributaries of the
pulmonary veins

 Two pulmonary veins leave each lung root to

empty into the left atrium of the heart
 Lymph Drainage

 The lymph vessels originate in superficial and

deep plexuses

 They are not present in the alveolar walls

 The superficial (subpleural) plexus lies beneath

the visceral pleura and drains over the surface
of the lung toward the hilum, where the lymph
vessels enter the bronchopulmonary nodes
 Lymph Drainage

 The deep plexus travels to the hilum of the

lung and enters the bronchopulmonary nodes

 All the lymph from the lung leaves the hilum

and drains into the tracheobronchial nodes and
then into the bronchomediastinal lymph trunks
 Nerve Supply
 At the root of each lung is a pulmonary plexus composed of
efferent and afferent autonomic nerve fibers

 The plexus is formed from branches of the sympathetic trunk and

receives parasympathetic fibers from the vagus nerve

 The sympathetic efferent fibers produce bronchodilatation and

vasoconstriction

 The parasympathetic efferent fibers produce bronchoconstriction,

vasodilatation, and increased glandular secretion