The inferior (lower) lobe of the left lung lies below and behind the oblique fissure, forming most of the back and base of the left lung. It rests on the left dome of the diaphragm, with the stomach and spleen below. It usually has four segments: superior, anteromedial basal, lateral basal and posterior basal.
| Location | Posterior and lower part of the left lung, from about T3-T4 behind down to the diaphragm, partly behind the heart. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pulmonary plexus; Vagus nerve (parasympathetic, bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion); Sympathetic fibres from T2-T5 ganglia (bronchodilation) |
| Blood Supply | Left pulmonary artery (lower lobe branches); Left bronchial arteries |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Provides a large share of left lung gas exchange, especially when upright.
Because part of it lies behind the heart, disease in the left lower lobe is easily missed on a frontal chest X-ray. It is the lobe most often collapsed after cardiac surgery. Panacinar emphysema from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency predominantly affects the lower lobes.
Pneumonia in the left lower lobe behind the heart shadow. A lateral X-ray or CT may be needed to confirm it.
Collapse of the lobe, common after cardiac surgery, seen as a triangular density behind the heart.
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