Module 3 Cardiovascular Flashcards
Contents of superior mediastinum:
Organs: Thymus, trachea, oesophagus, and ligamentum arteriosum.
Arteries: Aortic arch with branches-brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, left subclavian artery.
Veins and lymphatics: SVC, brachiocephalic veins, arch of azygos, thoracic duct. Nerves – Phrenic, vagus.
Contents of anterior mediastinum:
Sternopericardial ligaments, fat, some lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes and branches of the internal thoracic vessels, and the thymus (in the infants).
Contents of middle mediastinum:
Heart, pericardium, great vessels, trachea, bronchi, oesophagus, and lymph nodes.
Contents of posterior mediastinum:
Descending thoracic aorta, the azygos and the two hemiazygos veins, the vagus and splanchnic nerves, the oesophagus, the thoracic duct, and some lymph glands.
Name some mediastinal tumours
Anterior mediastinum: substernal thyroid goiters, lymphoma, thymoma, and teratoma.
Middle mediastinum: lymphadenopathy, metastatic disease from small cell carcinoma of lungs.
Posterior mediastinum: Neurogenic tumors.
Mediastinitis
inflammation of the tissues in the mediastinum, due to rupture of the organs
Pneumomediastinum
presence of air in the mediastinum, which might lead to pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, and pneumopericardium.
What can widened mediastinum indicate?
indicative of several pathologies: Aortic aneurysm or dissection or rupture, hilar lymphadenopathy, oesophageal rupture, cardiac tamponade, mediastinal mass, pericardial effusion.
Pericardial layers
Fibrous outer
parietal layer
serous lining
visceral layer (epicardium)
myocardium
endocardium
pericardial sac attachments
attached to the central tendon of the diaphragm, the sternum, the mediastinal pleurae, and the tunica adventitia (outer layer) of the great vessels (SVC & pulmonary vessels).
Innervation of the pericardium
Nerves supplying the pericardium arise from the vagus nerve [X], the sympathetic trunks, and the phrenic nerves. The phrenic nerve (C3-C5) is responsible for the somatic innervation of the pericardium, as well as providing motor and sensory innervation to the diaphragm.
Blood supply of the pericardium
The pericardium is supplied by branches from the internal thoracic, pericardiacophrenic, musculophrenic, and superior phrenic arteries, and the thoracic aorta. The veins from the pericardium enter the azygos system of veins and the internal thoracic and superior phrenic veins.
What anatomical feature is useful for surgeons in heart surgery
The transverse pericardial sinus separates the heart’s arterial outflow (aorta & pulmonary trunk) from its venous inflow (SVC & pulmonary veins).
Location: Posterior to ascending aorta & pulmonary trunk; anterior to the SVC; superior to left atrium.
Applied anatomy: The transverse pericardial sinus can be used to ligate the arteries of the heart during coronary artery bypass grafting.
Pericarditis
Pericarditis: It is an inflammatory condition of the pericardium. Common causes are viral and bacterial infections, systemic illnesses (e.g., chronic renal failure), and after myocardial infarction.
Pericardial effusion
Pericardial effusion: Usually, only a tiny amount of fluid is present between visceral and parietal layers of the serous pericardium. In certain situations, this space can be filled with excess fluid.
Cardiac tamponade
As fibrous pericardium is a relatively fixed structure that cannot expand easily, a rapid accumulation of fluid within pericardial sac may compress heart, resulting in biventricular failure.
Constrictive pericarditis
Abnormal thickening of the pericardial sac, which usually involves only the parietal pericardium, can compress the heart, impairing heart function and resulting in heart failure
Heart surfaces
The base of the heart is quadrilateral and directed posteriorly. It consists of the left atrium, a small portion of the right atrium, and the proximal parts of the great veins
The right margin is the small section of the right atrium that extends between the superior and inferior vena cavae. The left margin is formed by the left ventricle and left auricle. The superior margin is formed by both the atria and their auricles. The Inferior margin is marked by the right ventricle.
The anterior surface faces anteriorly and consists mostly of the right ventricle, with some of the right atrium on the right and some of the left ventricle on the left.
The heart in the anatomical position rests on the diaphragmatic surface, which consists of the left ventricle and a small portion of the right ventricle
What is the cardiac skeleton
The cardiac skeleton is a collection of dense, fibrous connective tissue in the form of four rings (anulus fibrosus) between the atria and the ventricles, which surround the two atrioventricular orifices, the aortic orifice and opening of the pulmonary trunk.
The fibrous skeleton of the heart separates the atria from the ventricles and gives attachment to the cusps of the atrio-ventricular valves (mitral and tricuspid) valves to the myocardium.
Describe the anatomy of the different AV valves in the heart
Right AV/tricuspid valve has three cusps: anterior, septal & posterior.
The left AV/bicuspid/mitral valve has two cusps: anterior/aortic and posterior/mural.
Backward prolapse of the cusps is prevented by the chordae tendineae that connect the papillary muscles of the ventricular wall to the AV valves, that cause tension to better hold the valve, and prevent backflow of the blood from the ventricles to the atria.
The papillary muscles & chordae tendineae together are known as subvalvular apparatus, that keeps the valves from prolapsing into the atria when they close. AV valves are formed by the flap-like cusps that are anchored to the ventricular wall by tendinous filaments.
What can cause heart tremors
Papillary muscles damage can lead to valve incompetence and cardiac murmurs.
Describe Aortic semilunar valves
left, posterior, right cusps with semilunar valves prevent backflow of blood from these arteries into the ventricles. Unlike the AV valves, these valves do not have chordae tendineae and are like the valves in the veins.
Right and left coronary arteries begin in the right and left aortic sinuses found in each cusp
Describe pulmonary semilunar valves
left, anterior, right cusps with semilunar valves prevent backflow of blood from these arteries into the ventricles. Unlike the AV valves, these valves do not have chordae tendineae and are like the valves in the veins.
How to auscultate the heart valves
Aortic - 2nd R ICS medial
Pulmonary - 2nd L ICS medial
Tricuspid - 4/5th L ICS medial
Mitral 5th L I CS mid clavicular line