What Is the Mesothelium?

The mesothelium is a layer of tissue that covers and protects your internal organs. It allows them to move smoothly against each other and other structures.

Your mesothelium appears in several areas, including your:

thoracic cavity

abdominal cavity

heart

The mesothelium is made up of mesothelial cells. They produce lubricating fluid between the inner and outer layers of the mesothelium. This decreases friction for the movement of the organs, such as when the lungs contract to breathe.

What conditions affect the mesothelium?

Several medical problems can affect the mesothelium, which include:

Pleural effusions

Sometimes called "water in the lungs," pleural effusions are an abnormal accumulation of excess fluid in the cavity between the two layers outside the lungs, known as pleural mesothelium.

Causes of pleural effusions include:

inflammatory disease

heart failure

pulmonary embolism

pneumonia

cirrhosis

kidney disease

If a pleural effusion is caused by cancer, it is considered a malignant pleural effusion. According to the Trusted Source of the National Cancer Institute, cancers most likely to cause malignant pleural effusions are:

lung cancer

breast cancer

lymphoma

leukemia

Symptoms of pleural effusions include:

Chest pain

dry cough

short of breath

difficulty breathing

shortness of breath when lying

Abdominal adhesions

An abdominal adhesion is scar tissue in the organs of the abdomen. These bands of scar tissue can cause the organs to adhere to the wall of the abdomen or to each other.

The most common cause of adhesions is the management and displacement of the abdominal organs during a surgical procedure. They can also be formed in people with peritonitis and endometriosis.

While most abdominal adhesions do not produce noticeable symptoms, if an adhesion has caused intestinal obstruction, symptoms may include:

abdominal pain

nausea

vomiting

belly swelling

inability to pass gas

constipation

be thirsty

infrequent urination

fast heart rate

low blood pressure

Mesothelioma

If a non-cancerous tumor forms in the mesothelium, it is called benign mesothelioma or solitary fibrous tumor.

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive type of cancer characterized by malignant tumors in the mesothelium.

Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the area around the lungs, is the most common. The main risk factor for this type is asbestos exposure. Other factors could include genetics and radiation treatments for other types of cancer.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include:

chest pain under the ribcage

painful cough and cough with blood

Shortness of breath or wheezing

Abnormal lumps of tissue under the skin on the chest

Weight loss

Peritoneal mesothelioma of the abdomen, pericardial mesothelioma of the tissue surrounding the heart, and mesothelioma of the vaginal tunic of the testicles are rare.

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms include:

abdominal pain or swelling

abnormal lumps of tissue in the abdomen

weight loss

Symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include difficulty breathing and chest pains.

Symptoms of vaginal tunic mesothelioma include swelling and a lump in a testicle.

Food to go

The mesothelium is a part of your body that you rarely think about. In fact, many do not know that it exists or that it plays an important role in protecting their internal organs.

Most people learn about the mesothelium when they experience a medical problem that affects it. If you notice symptoms of any of the conditions listed above, make an appointment with your doctor for a complete diagnosis.