5 The heart Flashcards
What is the shape of the pericardium?
Conical shaped
What is the pericardium continuous with?
With pretracheal layer of cervical fascia superiorly
Nb function of pericardium
Shock absorber (cardiac seatbelt), prevents over expansion when blood increases and limits heart movements
Layers of pericardium
- Fibrous
- Serous
Outermost layer of pericardium
Fibrous
Describe fibrous layer
Irregular dense connective tissue with much collagen
Function of fibrous layer
To anchor heart to diaphragm and the great vessels
Serous pericardium layers
- Parietal
- Visceral
What is the parietal layer attached to?
Fibrous pericardium
What is the visceral attached to?
To surface of the heart and aorta, pulmonary trunk, vena cavae (epicardium)
What do the lines of reflection between visceral and parietal pericardium form?
Two pericardial sinuses – oblique and transverse
What is the pericardial cavity filled with?
With serous pericardial fluid, really a potential space containing 10-20 mls of pericardial fluid
Function of pericardial cavity being lubricated?
Prevents friction as the heart beats
Inflammation of the pericardium
Pericarditis
Where is the transverse pericardial sinus located?
Anterior to the SVC and post to the Ascending aorta and Pulmonary Trunk
What does the transverse pericardial sinus seperate?
The arterial vessels (A, PT) and the venous vessels (SVC, PV)
What can the transverse sinus be used to locate?
The arteries of the heart during coronary artery bypass grafting.
What is the oblique sinus bound by?
The lines of reflection of the serous pericardium onto the
inferior vena cava and the left and right pulmonary veins
Cardiac tamponade long
The relatively inextensible fibrous pericardium can cause pericardial effusion (increased fluid) in the pericardial cavity. Increased pressure. The chambers can become compressed, thus compromising cardiac output.
Haemopericardium (bloodin the pericardium) and pericarditis
Arterial blood of pericardium
- Internal thoracic - Musculophrenic and pericardiophrenic branches
- Descending thoracic aorta from bronchial, oesophageal and superior phrenic arteries
Venous blood of pericardium
Venous drainage to azygous system
Nerves of pericardium
Phrenic nerve to fibrous and serous pericardium / visceral is vagus and sympathetic trunks (insensitive to pain)
3 layers of the heart from out - in
- Epicardium
- Myocardium
- Endocardium
Describe epicardium
- Visceral layer of pericardium
- Adipose and fibroelastic tissue
What is endocardium ?
- Endothelial cells
- Smooth lining also covering the valves.
Where are cardiac muscle fibres anchored to?
To the fibrous skeleton of the heart.
Functions of the skeleton of heart x 3
- Prevent over distension of valves
- Serve as attachments of leaflets and cusps
- Provide electrical insulation from atria and ventricles
Framework of skeleton of heart
Framework of dense collagen forming four fibrous rings (L. annuli fibrosi) that surround the orifices of the valves 2 rings and 2 cononets
What are sulci?
Grooves on surface of heart containing coronary blood vessels and fat
x 3 sulci
- Coronary sulcus
- Anterior interventricular sulcus
- Posterior interventricular sulcus
Coronary sulcus marks
Encircles heart and marks the boundary between the atria and the ventricles
What does the anterior interventricular sulcus mark?
Marks the boundary between the ventricles anteriorly
What does the posterior interventricular sulcus mark?
The boundary between the ventricles posteriorly
Myocarditis
inflammation due to infections, chemicals, medication
- Often caused by viral infection
- Need for biopsy
- Mild disease, chest pain to heart failure, or sudden death
Endocarditis
Inflammation usually involving the valves (bacterial endocarditis)
Infective endocarditis
- Bacterial infection
- Valves, septum, chordae tendinae
- Most common cardiovascular infection worldwide
Left coronary artery pathway
Arises from left posterior aortic sinus and passes forward between the left auricle and infundibulum
Artery in the interventricular groove
Anterior descending interventricular groove