Parietal pleura

Parietal pleura
A transverse section of the thorax, showing the contents of the middle and the posterior mediastinum. The pleural and pericardial cavities are exaggerated since normally there is no space between parietal and visceral pleura and between pericardium and heart.
Latin pleura parietalis
Gray's subject #238 1087
Nerve intercostal nerves, phrenic nerves
Code TH H3.05.03.0.00006

The portion of the pleura external to the pulmonary pleura lines the inner surface of the chest wall, covers the diaphragm, and is reflected over the structures occupying the middle of the thorax; this portion is termed the parietal pleura.

The parietal pleura is attached to the wall of the thoracic cavity and innervated by the intercostal nerves and phrenic nerve.

Parietal pleura lines the thoracic wall, covers the superior surface of the diaphragm and separates the pleural cavity from the mediastinum. The costal portion of the parietal pleura lines the inner aspect of the ribs and intervening intercostal muscles, being separated from them by endothoracic fascia. This part of the parietal pleura is innervated by the intercostal nerves. The diaphragmatic portion of the parietal pleura overlies the diaphragm and is innervated by the phrenic nerve. The mediastinal portion of the parietal pleura forms the lateral wall of the mediastinum and is innervated by the phrenic nerve.

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This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.