33. Mediastinum Flashcards
Name the different parts of the pleura
Visceral
Parietal (diaphragmatic, costal and mediastinal)
What structures divide the mediastinum into regions?
Cranial to caudal: Cranial = in front of heart, mid = heart, caudal = caudal to heart
Dorsal - ventral: Tracheal bifurcation
What does the mediastinum communicate with?
Fascial planes cranially (due to trachea / oesophagus etc passing through mediastinum)
Retroperitoneum caudally (via aortic hiatus)
What number of dogs experimentally developed bilateral pneumothorax following unilateral injection?
22/24
What 3 reasons are provided for unilateral pleural fluid accumulation?
Lack of fenestrations
Inflammation of pleura
Viscus fluid
List 3 places where the mediastinum deviates from midline
Cranioventral mediastinal reflection
Caudoventral mediastinal reflection
Vena caval mediastinal reflection (= plica vena cavae)
What creates the appearance of the cranial mediastinal reflection?
The right cranial lung lobe extending towards the left
List 3 structures within the cranial mediastinal reflection
Thymus
Internal thoracic arteries
Internal thoracic veins
What creates the caudoventral mediastinal reflection (remember layers…)?
Accessory lobe extending over to left from right
4 LAYERS: Visceral pleura of accessory lobe
- > mediastinal parietal pleura of R pleural sac
- > mediastinal pleura of L pleural sac
- > Visceral pleura of L caudal lobe
MEDIASTINAL ORGANS TABLE
What is the caudoventral mediastinal reflection mistakenly known as?
Sternopericardial ligament -> continuation of fibrous pericardium NOT RADIOGRAPHICALLY VISIBLE
What are the 3 broad classifcations of mediastinal pathology?
Mass
Shift
Pneumo
What is the most common cause of mediastinal shift? What are the 2 different types of mediastinal shift?
ATELECTASIS
2 types:
Ipsilateral (eg atelectasis),
contralateral -> mass, inc lung volume, inc pleural pressure
Where is the sternal lymph centre located?
Dorsal to 2nd/3rd sternebrae
Anatomical consideration of sternal nodes in dog and cat. Where do they drain? Can they be seen normally in radiogaphs?
Dogs: Typically paired, occasionally single median
Cats: Single
Drainage: Ribs, sternum, serous membranes, thymus, adjacent muscles, peritoneal cavity, mammary glands
In dogs: may be normally seen as FUSIFORM opacity, up to 3cm long in R LATERAL