PAk Flashcards
(39 cards)
What are the margins of the superior mediastinum?
From the thoracic inlet
to the sternal angle and the IV between T4 and T5
What are the three divisons of the inferior mediastinum?
Anterior mediastinum
Middle mediastinum
Posterior mediastinum
What are the margins of the Anterior mediastinum?
Located between the Sternum and pericardium
What are the margins of the Middle mediastinum?
Between the anterior and posterior mediastinum
What are the margins of the posterior mediastinum?
Between the pericardium and thoracic vertebrae
What does the superior mediastinum contain?
Anteriorly: thymus gland
(or its remains) and great veins
Middle: aortic arch and its three great branches, vagus nerve, phrenic nerve.
Posteriorly: Trachea, esophagus, left recurrent laryngeal nerve, thoracic duct.
What are the structures that can get affected from an improper sternal puncture in the manubrium??
In the upper part: Left brachiocephalic vein (bc the great veins are in the upper part of the superior mediastinum)
In the lower part aortic arch (bc it is in the middle )
What does the anterior part of the inferior mediastinum contain?
Thymus gland (bc it is big)
Lymph nodes
Fat (bc you can fat mostly from the anterior)
When does the involution of the Thymus begin?
After puberty
What does the middle mediastinum of the inferior mediastinum contain?
Heart within the pericardium
Roots of great vessels (aorta,pulmonary arteries and veins, SVC and IVC)
phrenic nerves
main bronchi
arch of azygous
What are the 3 great branches of the aortic arch?
Left subclavian artery
Left common carotid artery
Left brachiocephalic trunk
What is the key identification point to differentiate between the middle mediastinum and poster
What does the posterior mediastinum?
Esophagus (#5) (with
vagal plexuses)
Descending aorta
and branches
Azygos (#8) and
Hemiazygos venous systems
Thoracic duct
Sympathetic trunk
(#21) and splanchnic nerves (#19)
The superior vena cava is formed by the union of what veins? What are they considered?
Formed by: union of right and left brachiocephalic veins (bc brach is like branch, and cephalic bc the svc is close to cephalic, so the union of two branches)
Considered as: Roots of SVC
From where does the SVC get its blood?
upper half of the body to the heart
Where is the azygous vein connected to the SVC? Before the svc does what?
Connected from posterior (remeber hemi)
Before: The SVC pierces the pericardium.
The Right brachiocephalic vein is formed by the union of what veins?
Right subclavian vein and right internal jugular vein (bc cephalic, so close to the root of the neck, so subclavian and internal juglar)
What side is the azygous and superior and inferior hemiazygous veins located?
azygous Right
superior and inferior hemiazygous Left (bc they are incomplete like the “left”)
From Where does the azygous system of veins drain blood?
From posterior parts of the intercostal spaces (exhaust)
Posterior abdominal wall (exaust from the body of the car)
Pericardium (body of car)
Diaphragm (exauhst)
bronchi
esophagus
Where does the inferior vena cava recive blood?
Lower half of the body
What and where does the inferior vena cava pierce? At what level of thoracic vertebrae?
Pierces the central tendon of the diphragm at T8.
(Central bc it is in the posterior medial part of the heart)
What are the 3 parts of the aorta?
ascending
descending
arch of aorta
What does the diaphrgam seperate the descending aorta into?
thoracic (above diaphragm)
Abdominal (below)
When does the ascending aorta become continous with the aortic arch?
At the level of sternal angle (makes sense bc it is in the superior mediastinum)
