The right lung is the larger and heavier of the two lungs, divided by oblique and horizontal fissures into superior, middle and inferior lobes. It is shorter and wider than the left because the dome of the diaphragm sits higher on the right over the liver. It usually has ten bronchopulmonary segments.
| Location | Right side of the thoracic cavity, beside the mediastinum, resting on the right dome of the diaphragm. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pulmonary plexus; Vagus nerve (parasympathetic, bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion); Sympathetic fibres from T2-T5 ganglia (bronchodilation) |
| Blood Supply | Right pulmonary artery; Right bronchial artery |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Provides slightly more than half of the total gas exchange capacity.
Inhaled foreign bodies and aspirated material more often enter the right lung because the right main bronchus is wider and more vertical. Right middle lobe disease blurs the right heart border on X-ray. An extra fissure created by the azygos vein (azygos lobe) is a harmless variant seen on some X-rays.
Lung infection caused by inhaled food, fluid or stomach contents, favouring the right lower lobe. It is common in people with swallowing difficulties.
Air in the pleural space causing partial or complete lung collapse. Tall, thin young men and people with lung disease are most at risk.
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