A case of single fissured right lung

Abstract

Two soft, spongy lungs are located in the chest cavity on either side of the mediastinum. Tripartitions are typically observed in the right lung with oblique and horizontal fissures, and bipartitions are observed in the left lung with a single oblique fissure. Expansion of the lungs during breathing is largely helped by fissures. During undergraduate cadaveric chest dissection, we discovered and examined the right lung with a single fissure. In this case, the right lung has transitioned from trilobular to bilobular, with a single oblique fissure separating the upper and lower lobes. The left lung had a normal shape with one oblique fissure and two lobes. Lung fissures and lobar patterns are often altered due to developmental changes during the fetal period. Clinicians should be aware of these anatomical differences in the lung fissures before performing lung surgery to prevent subsequent complications.