The word "pleura" is about as foreign and strange that the word "mesothelioma". It almost seems like something from a science fiction movie. According to 100 Questions and answers about mesothelioma, the pleura is a sheet-like lining that forms around the chest wall and lungs like wallpaper.
We all had some type of respiratory infection. Those who have had a bout with pleurisy after pneumonia know painful inflammation of the pleura can be. But few of us understand exactly what is the pleura and its function in the body.
As Dr. Pass says, there are two pleura into the chest. The parietal pleura is only 2 to 3 mm thick, which is about the same density of three sheets of copy paper. The visceral pleura is about a copy of paper. Can you imagine those two lining thin membranes and protect our lungs against injury and disease?
The lines of the parietal pleura and attached to the chest wall. It is extremely sensitive to pain. Visceral pleura cover the lungs, blood vessels, bronchi and nerves. Between the two is called the pleural space where pleural fluid lubricates the surfaces of the two pads, allowing the two layers to slide against each other while breathing. Pleural fluid also keeps the surface of the lung mounted on the chest wall, providing the inflation of the alveoli during breathing, coordination of the movement of the chest wall closely with that of the lungs.
Although Dr. Pass says the pleura is expendable - the body that can function without it if it gets sick - you have to be careful of his body and to recognize symptoms such as nagging cough , pleurisy, pneumonia or bronchitis. If you have been exposed to asbestos, you may have a cancer linked to asbestos, such as mesothelioma.
If you have any exposure to asbestos history, please take the time to do your primary care physician aware of the same.
