What is pleural effusion? Pleural effusion, which some people call “water on the lungs,” is the buildup of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside your lungs. The pleura are thin …

Dec 15, 2025 · Key Takeaways The pleura is a thin membrane that covers and cushions the lungs. Pleural fluid reduces friction between the lungs and chest during breathing. Pleurisy is …

Dec 13, 2023 · One pleural layer of tissue wraps around the outside of the lungs. The other pleural layer lines the inner chest wall. Between these two layers is a small space (pleural …

They are formed of two opposing layers of serous membrane that separate the lungs from the mediastinum, the inside surfaces of the surrounding chest walls and the diaphragm. Although …

Mar 24, 2022 · The tissue is called the pleura, and the thin space between its two layers is called the pleural space. A small amount of fluid fills the pleural space, and when you breathe in and …

Nov 6, 2025 · There is a potential space between the viscera and parietal pleura, known as the pleural cavity. We shall now consider the structures of the pleurae in more detail. The parietal …

Dec 22, 2025 · Your pleura is a large, thin sheet of tissue that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity. Between the layers of the pleura is a very thin …

Pleural disease care at Penn Medicine includes a dedicated team of specialists with the expertise and passion to treat a wide range of pleural disorders, including pleural effusion.

Pleural effusion is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (the area between the 2 layers of the thin membrane that covers the lungs).

pleura, membrane lining the thoracic cavity (parietal pleura) and covering the lungs (visceral pleura). The parietal pleura folds back on itself at the root of the lung to become the visceral …