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A pleurectomy is a surgical procedure involving the pleura, the membranes that line the thoracic cavity and cover the lungs. This surgery can be performed for various reasons, including treating conditions like pleural effusion, which is the accumulation of excess fluid in the space between the lung and the chest wall. It can also be used to address conditions such as empyema (pus in the pleural space) or to prevent the recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax by sealing the pleural membranes together. The term "pleur-" itself relates to the pleura, side, or rib.1234

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