WITHIN a month during the past spring we had the unusual experience at the Beverly Hospital of caring for 2 patients with spontaneous rupture of the esophagus. Although this condition is not a medical ...

Your lungs are protected by two membranes, called the pleurae. The visceral pleura covers the lungs, and the parietal pleura lines the inside of your rib cage. A small amount of space between the two ...

A pleural friction rub is a raspy breathing sound caused by inflammation of the tissues around your lungs. The sound is usually “grating” or “creaky.” It’s also been compared to the sound of walking ...

Empyema is defined as a collection of pus in the pleural space and is a form of purulent (infected), pleural effusion. Pleural effusion refers to the build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the ...

Pleural diseases affect the pleural tissue that lines the inside of the chest cavity and covers the outside of the lungs. The visceral pleura (which covers the lung) and the parietal pleura (which ...