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ANAT-316 > Lecture 5 - The Mediastinum > Flashcards

Lecture 5 - The Mediastinum Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 main regions of the mediastinum?

A

Superior and Inferior (anterior, middle, posterior)

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2
Q

What is the base of the superior mediastinum but the top border of the inferior mediastinum?

A

the sternal angle

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3
Q

What is the superior and inferior border of the mediastinum?

A

superior: rib 1 / superior thoracic aperture
inferior: diaphragm

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4
Q

What is the superior boundary of the mediastinum?

A

the superior thoracic aperture

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5
Q

What is the inferior boundary of the superior mediastinum?

A

the sternal angle

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6
Q

What is the lateral boundary of the mediastinum?

A

mediastinal surfaces of L+R lungs

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7
Q

What is the anterior boundary of the mediastinum?

A

manubrium

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8
Q

What is the posterior boundary of the superior mediastinum?

A

T1-T4 vertebrae

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9
Q

What are the organs found in the superior mediastinum?

A

esophagus, trachea and thymus

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10
Q

What are the vessels found in the superior mediastinum?

A

aortic arch + 3 branches
brachiocephalic veins (L+R)
SVC
arch of azygos
pericardiacophrenic vessels
thoracic duct

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11
Q

What are the nerves found in the superior mediastinum?

A

vagus nerves (L+R), left recurrent laryngeal nerve, phrenic nerves (L+R), sympathetic chains, & cardiac and pulmonary plexes

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12
Q

What do vagus nerves carry?

A

parasympathetic innervation
to many visceral structures

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13
Q

How do vagus nerves enter the thoracic cavity?

A

via superior thoracic aperture

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14
Q

What do some branches of the vagus nerve contribute to?

A

the cardiac plexus and pulmonary plexes

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15
Q

What does each vagus nerve give off?

A

a recurrent laryngeal branch

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16
Q

Which recurrent laryngeal branch is in the superior mediastinum?

A

the left one

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17
Q

What do recurrent laryngeal branches do?

A

innervate numerous neck structures

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18
Q

Where does the left recurrent laryngeal nerve pass?

A

posterior to the ligamentum arteriosum

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19
Q

What branch does the left recurrent laryngeal nerve come off of?

A

the right vagus nerve

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20
Q

What branch does the right recurrent laryngeal nerve come off of?

A

the left vagus nerve

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21
Q

Where does the left recurrent laryngeal nerve pass?

A

around the aortic arch

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22
Q

Where does the right recurrent laryngeal nerve pass?

A

around the left subclavian artery in the neck

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23
Q

What is the superior boundary of the anterior mediastinum?

A

sternal angle

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24
Q

What is the inferior boundary of the anterior mediastinum?

A

diaphragm

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25
What is the lateral boundary of the anterior mediastinum?
mediastinal surfaces of the L+R lungs
26
What is the anterior boundary of the anterior mediastinum?
body of sternum
27
What is the posterior boundary of the anterior mediastinum?
pericardial sac
28
What are the organs found in the anterior mediastinum?
thymus (+ lymph nodes, adipose, loose connective tissue)
29
What is the anterior mediastinum primarily occupied by?
the thymus gland
30
What is the function of the thymus gland?
differentiation of T cells
31
Why is the thymus larger in early development?
because it is involved with immune system development
32
What does the thymus degenerate and become into in adults?
fibro-fatty tissue
33
What is the superior boundary of the middle mediastinum?
sternal angle
34
What is the inferior boundary of the middle mediastinum?
diaphragm
35
What is the lateral boundary of the middle mediastinum?
mediastinal surfaces of L+R lungs
36
What is the anterior boundary of the middle mediastinum?
pericardial sac
37
What is the posterior boundary of the middle mediastinum?
pericardial sac
38
What are the organs found in the middle mediastinum?
heart
39
What are the nerves found in the middle mediastinum?
phrenic nerves and cardiac+pulmonary plexes
40
What are the vessels found in the middle mediastinum?
coronary arteries, cardiac veins, pericardiacophrenic vessels
41
What are the respiratory structures found in the middle mediastinum?
tracheal bifurcation and primary bronchi
42
What are the roots of great vessels found in the middle mediastinum?
aorta, pulmonary trunk, pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, superior vena cava, & inferior vena cava
43
What is the superior boundary of the posterior mediastinum?
sternal angle
44
What is the inferior boundary of the posterior mediastinum?
diaphragm
45
What is the lateral boundary of the posterior mediastinum?
mediastinal surfaces of L+R lungs
46
What is the anterior boundary of the posterior mediastinum?
pericardial sac
47
What is the posterior boundary of the posterior mediastinum?
T5-T12 vertebrae
48
What are the organs found in the posterior mediastinum?
esophagus
49
What are the vessels found in the posterior mediastinum?
descending (thoracic) aorta azygos vein hemiazygos vein accessory hemiazygos vein thoracic duct
50
What are the nerves found in the posterior mediastinum?
vagus nerves (L+R), anterior and posterior vagal trunks, esophageal plexus, sympathetic chains, & thoracic splanchnic nerves (greater, lesser, and least)
51
What does the posterior mediastinum communicate freely with?
the superior mediastinum and numerous structures continuous between them
52
What does the thoracic aorta give rise to?
posterior arteries supplying the thoracic wall
53
Which 2 posterior arteries supply the thoracic wall?
- Posterior intercostal arteries inferior to ribs 3–11, bilaterally - Subcostal arteries inferior to rib 12, bilaterally
54
Where does the thoracic aorta pass?
behind diaphragm at T12
55
What accompanies the thoracic aorta (2)?
the azygos vein and thoracic duct
56
What is the order of the azygos veins?
1. SVC 2. azygos vein 3. accessory hemiazygos vein 4. hemiazygos vein 5. IVC
57
Where do the azygos veins drain?
posterior thoracic wall
58
What do azygos veins offer?
collateral passage for venous blood to bypass blockages in the vena cave
59
What is the cisterna chyli?
dilation at confluence of abdominal lymph trunks
60
What is the esophagus?
muscular tube connecting the pharynx and stomach
61
Where does the esophagus travel?
through superior and posterior mediastina
62
Where does the esophagus pass through the diaphragm? What is it accompanied by?
at T10 accompanied by vagal trunks
63
What causes the vagus nerves to shift into anterior and posterior positions?
the 90 degree clockwise rotation of the gastrointestinal tract during embryological development
64
What vagal trunk is the left vagus nerve part of?
the anterior vagal trunk
65
What vagal trunk is the right vagus nerve part of?
the posterior vagal trunk
66
What is the esophageal plexus formed from?
branches of vagal nerves and branches from sympathetic chain
67
Vagus nerves pass ____ to the root of lung structures while the phrenic nerves pass ____.
posterior, anterior
68
Where is the sympathetic chain located?
lateral to the vertebral bodies in thoracic & abdominal regions
69
What are the 3 paired thoracic splanchnic nerves associated with?
thoracic spinal levels
70
What do the 3 paired thoracic splanchnic nerves carry?
sympathetic (visceral motor) & visceral sensory information
71
Where do the thoracic splanchnic nerves branch off?
sympathetic chains and run obliquely (posterior to anterior & superior to inferior)
72
How do the thoracic splanchnic nerves reach the abdominal cavity?
pierce through OR pass behind the diaphragm to reach the abdominal cavity
73
What are the names of the 3 thoracic splanchnic nerves?
greater, lesser, least
74
What is the level of the greater splanchnic nerve?
T5-T9
75
What is the level of the lesser splanchnic nerve?
T10-T11
76
What is the level of the least splanchnic nerve?
T12

ANAT-316 (25 decks)

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