Bilateral variation of human pulmonary fissure: a study in Korean cadaver

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the variation found in human lung fissures for clinical benefit. The lungs are a pair of respiratory organs located on either side of the chest cavity. The right lung is usually divided into three lobes by the oblique fissure and horizontal fissure, and the left lung into two lobes by the oblique fissure. In this study, lung fissure variation was found in both lungs of a 96-year-old formalin-fixed Korean male cadaver. These fissures of the lung were observed to be additional, complete, incomplete or absent. The right lung was observed an absent horizontal fissure and an incomplete accessory fissure, and the left lung was observed an incomplete oblique fissure and an accessory fissure, the left minor fissure. From a clinical standpoint, it is important for clinicians to possess an awareness of variations in lung fissures. Incomplete lung fissures, for instance, have the potential to facilitate the spread of diseases like pneumonia to adjacent lobes. Moreover, accessory fissures can sometimes be mistaken for other conditions such as pleural scars or blisters, necessitating careful differentiation.