Pericardium Flashcards
Pericardium is
a fibroserous sac that encloses the heart and roots of the great vessels.
Relations of Pericardium Anteriorly
§ Body of Sternum
§ 2nd to 6th costal cartilages
Relations of Pericardium Posteriorly
§ 5th to 8th thoracic vertebrae
Layers of the Pericardium
- Fibrous Pericardium
2. Serous Pericardium
Fibrous Pericardium Attached anteriorly to
the sternum by Sternopericardial ligaments.
Two Layers of Serous Pericardium
a. Parietal layer
b. Visceral layer
The wall of the heart consists of three layers
§ The epicardium (external layer)
§ The myocardium (middle layer)
§ The endocardium (inner layer).
The epicardium is composed of two
tissue layers
a. Visceral layer of the serous pericardium.
b. Adipose tissue (houses the major
coronary and cardiac vessels of the heart).
Pericardial effusion
filled with excess fluid (pericardial effusion), that
compresses the heart (cardiac tamponade), resulting in biventricular
failure.
Fibrous Pericardium and Parietal layer of serous Pericardium nerve supply
Phrenic nerves (C3–C5),
Visceral layer of Serous Pericardium nerve supply
By Sympathetic trunk and vagus nerves
“pain” related to a pericardial problem may be referred to
supraclavicular region of the shoulder or lateral neck area dermatomes for
spinal cord segments C3, C4, and C5.
