Intrapleural cavity

The space between the visceral pleura, which is attached to the external surface of the lungs, and the parietal pleura, connected to the chest wall and ribs. Both types of pleura are made out of the same membrane, which folds in on itself, forming a space between two layers. The intrapleural cavity is crucial to the breathing processes. It enables the lungs to expand and recoil depending on the stage of breathing.

This shows the trachea and half of one lung. Surrounding the lung there is the intrapleural cavity, which is a space created between the visceral pleura and the parietal pleura. There is a label that indicates that the pressure inside the pleural cavity is the intrapleural pressure. This indicates the pressure difference between the inside of the lung and the intrapleural cavity, which is minus four.

Figure 1. Illustration of the pleural cavity indicating its pressure.