The pleura and pleural fluid function to preserve a vacuum state that enables breathing. This function of the pleural cavity can be disrupted in several ways:
Pneumothorax[?] - when a pleural cavity communicates with the atmosphere or the airspace within the lungs, air can accumulate in the pleural cavity, causing the lung on the same side to collapse. If a piece of tissue forms a one-way valve that allows air to penetrate into the pleural cavity but not to escape, overpressure can build up on the pneumothorax (tension pneumothorax[?]). This may lead to severe shortness of breath as well as circulatory collapse, both life-threatening conditions. Common causes of pneumothorax are trauma, atmospheric overpressure, and preexisting lung disease; a pneumothorax may also occur spontaneously without apparent cause.
Small pneumothoraces often resolve spontaneously and may require no other treatment than clinical observation. A large pneumothorax or tension pneumothorax can be a medical emergency. It is usually treated using a chest drainage: a tube is inserted through the chest wall and suction applied to evacuate air from the pleural cavity, thus allowing the lung to expand again.
Pleural effusion[?] - fluid can accumulate in the pleural space, compressing the lungs. This can occur as a consequence of reasons such as:
In states of excess accumulation, pleural fluid can be sampled and evaluated to determine what disease state may be causing it. The evaluation consists of
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