Pleural Disease

Costal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic and cervical pleura

A memory aid for the four named regions of the parietal pleura.

Transudate is pressure, exudate is permeability

A memory aid for the causes of a pleural effusion by type.

Transudates from altered Starling forces; exudates from increased permeability

A memory aid for the formation and classification of pleural effusions.

Exudate or transudate first, then the specific tests

A memory aid for Light's criteria and the pleural fluid tests.

Parietal pleura is somatically innervated and painful; visceral pleura is autonomic and insensitive

A mnemonic for why parietal pleura hurts and visceral pleura does not.

Pleural pressure is more negative at the apex than at the base

A memory aid for the vertical gradient in pleural pressure.

Costodiaphragmatic and costomediastinal recesses

A memory aid for the pleural recesses and their clinical importance.

Primary or secondary, with symptoms and size deciding treatment

A memory aid for classifying and treating a pneumothorax.

Loss of negative pleural pressure allows the lung to collapse and the chest wall to spring out

A memory aid for the physiological consequences of air in the pleural space.

Lung borders cross ribs 6, 8 and 10; pleural borders cross ribs 8, 10 and 12

A mnemonic for the surface markings of the lung and pleural borders.

Alveolar pressure minus pleural pressure

A memory aid for the pressure that actually inflates the lung.

Lateral border of pectoralis major, anterior border of latissimus dorsi, and a line above the fifth intercostal space

A memory aid for the boundaries of the safe triangle for chest drain insertion.