Pleural recesses are the extensions of the pleural cavities along the lines of pleural reflections. These spaces/recesses are unoccupied by lung during quite respiration.
They act as reserve spaces for the lung to expand during deep inspiration.
There are two recesses in the pleural cavity:
1. COSTOMEDIASTINAL RECESS
2. COSTODIAPHRAGMATIC RECESS
1. Costomediastinal recess
This recess is bounded by junctional parts of the costal & mediastinal pleura. It lies anteriorly, behind the sternum and costal cartilages. The right recess is narrow while the left recess is wide at the level of fourth to sixth costal cartilages.
2. Costodiaphragmatic recess
This recess is bounded by junctional parts of the costal and diaphragmatic pleura. In deep inspiration recesses of both sides are partially filled.
Right recess is related to the liver and posterior surface if right kidney. Left recess is related to the funds of the stomach, spleen and posterior surface of left kidney.
APPLIED ANATOMY
1. Left costomediastinal recess is responsible for the presence of superficial cardiac dullness.
2. In upright X-ray, the costodiaphragmatic angle gets blunted due to minimal amount of pleural effusion.
3.Fluid in pleural cavity is termed HYDROTHORAX.
4. Pus in pleural cavity is termed PYOTHORAX.
5. Blood in pleural cavity is termed HEMOTHORAX.
6. Air in pleural cavity is termed PNEUMOTHORAX.
7. Presence of blood along with air in pleural cavity is termed HEMOPNEUMOTHORAX.
8. Presence of pus along with air in pleural cavity is termed as PYOPNEUMOTHORAX.
9. Presence of fluid along with air in pleural cavity is termed HYDROPNEUMOTHORAX.
