Anatomy

Question 1

What is the Mediatsinum?

Answer 1

Space in the thorax (not including the lungs) which is bounded by the superior and inferior thoracic apertures and contains the heart and the great vessels

Question 2

What components make up the superior mediastinum?

Answer 2

Clavicle
1st thoracic vertebrae
1st ribs
(found above the heart)

Question 3

What components make up the inferior mediastinum?

Answer 3

Anterior - infront of the heart but behind the sternum
Middle - where the heart sits
Posterior - behind the heart

Question 4

What is the Sternal angle?

Answer 4

An important plane which is at the level of the 4th thoracic vertebrae where the arch of the aorta lies as well as the bifacation of the trachea

Question 5

What is the path of the oesophagus through the mediastinum?

Answer 5

Travels through the superior mediastinum and then the posterior segment of the inferior mediastinum

Question 6

What is the division between the left and right ventricle made visible by?

Answer 6

Coronary arteries

Question 7

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 7

Blockage of the coronary arteries due to a build up of fat and plaque.

Question 8

What is the position of the heart in the thoracic cavity (how is it orientated?)

Answer 8

Anterior - right ventricle
Posterior - left atria
Right margin - right atria
Left margin - left ventricle
Apex - left ventricle

Question 9

What are oricles of the heart?

Answer 9

Extra space for the atria to allow extra blood volume capacity at times during high blood flow to the heart (exercise)

Question 10

What organs is the heart in contact with?

Answer 10

Pulmonary surfaces - where the heart muscle makes contact with both the left and right lungs
Diaphragmatic surface - where the bottom of the heart makes contact with the diaphragm

Question 11

What is the coronary sinus?

Answer 11

A confluence of coronary veins found posteriorly below the left atria.
These veins will drain into the right atria

Question 12

What are the great vessles of the heart?

Answer 12

Superior Vena Cava - brings deoxygenated blood from the head to the heart
Inferior Vena Cava - brings deoxygenated blood from the body (not head) to the heart
Pulmonary Trunk - splits into the pulmonary arteries which take deoxygenated blood from the heart to each lung.
Pulmonary Veins - bring oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart
Aorta - Takes oxygenated blood from the heart and supplies it to the rest of the body.

Question 13

What is the pericardium?

Answer 13

Sac that surrounds the heart.
Made up of 3 layers:
- fibrous
- Serous (parietal)
- Serous (visceral)

Question 14

What are the functions of the pericardium?

Answer 14

Prevents infection
Prevents the heart from overfilling
Keeps the heart anchored into the middle mediastinum
Fluid between the serous layers lubricates the heart.

Question 15

What is Pericarditis?

Answer 15

Inflammation of the pericardium

Question 16

Where is the transverse sinus?

Answer 16

Separates the arteries from the veins

Question 17

Where is the oblique sinus?

Answer 17

Underneath the pulmonary veins

Question 18

What are the coronary sulci?

Answer 18

Dips in the heart for the coronary vessels to lie in.

Question 19

What is the intraventricular sulcus?

Answer 19

Dip between the left and right ventricle

Question 20

What do the coronary Veins do?

Answer 20

Drain the heart muscle of blood

Question 21

What do the coronary Arteries do?

Answer 21

Supply the heart muscle with blood

Question 22

Where / how do the coronary arteries work?

Answer 22

Coronary arteries branch off the aorta
they work when the heart is in diastole, so the blood that remains within the aorta then drains into the coronary arteries to supply the heart muscle

Question 23

What are the external features of the heart?

Answer 23

Great vessels
Pericardium
Transverse sinus
Oblique sinus
Coronary Sulci
Coronary vessels

Question 24

What is the fossa ovale?

Answer 24

Embryological development of the foramen ovale, which had the purpose of allowing the left and right atria to communicate within the foetus

Question 25

What is caused when the foramen ovale doesn’t properly fold over and shut into the fossa ovale?

Answer 25

Leads to a hole in the heart where blood returning to the right atria can leak into the left atria.

Question 26

What are the internal visible features of the atria?

Answer 26

atrioventricular valve

opening to coronary sinus

Question 27

what are the internal visible features of the ventricles

Answer 27

Corda tendinae - heart strings
papilary muscles
semi-luna valve

Question 28

What is Valve Stenosis?

Answer 28

Heart valve disease

When the cusps are damaged allowing backflow and also being unable to open properly.