A8 - Clinical Anatomy of the Mediastinum

Question 1

What is the area that lies in between the lungs ?

Answer 1

mediastinum

Question 2

What is located in the superior mediastinum?

Answer 2

• superior vena cava → brachiocephalic veins → subclavian vein
• arch of the aorta - where it begins
• oesophagus
• trachea
• vagus nerve, phrenic nerve, left recurrent largyngeal
• thoracic duct

Question 3

What is the most medial nerve in the mediastinum?

Answer 3

phrenic

Question 4

Describe the formation of the right recurrent laryngeal via the vagus nerve

Answer 4

right vagus nerve loops under the right subclavian artery and ascends in the neck lateral as the right recurrent laryngeal to the tracheal to enter the larynx

Question 5

How is the left recurrent laryngeal nerve formed?

Answer 5

via the left vagus nerve which hooks around the aortic arch, lateral to the ligamentum arteriosum to give rise to the LRL nerve

Question 6

What are the four parts of the aorta?

Answer 6

ascending
arch
descending (thoracic)
abdominal

Question 7

What arises from the ascending aorta?

Answer 7

coronary arteries

Question 8

What are the three branches of the arch of the aorta?

Answer 8

brachiocephalic trunk (right common carotid & subclavian)
left common carotid
left subclavian

Question 9

What does the descending aorta supply?

Answer 9

intercostal spaces on the lower half of the body

Question 10

When does the aorta become the abdominal aorta?

Answer 10

when it passes the diaphragm

Question 11

What is contained in the posteior mediastinum?

Answer 11

thoracic aorta 
oesophagus 
main bronchi
azygous vein 
thoracic duct 
lymph nodes
sympathetic trunk, abdominopelvic splanchnic nerve, cardiopulmonay splanchnic

Question 12

Where does the oesophagus lie in the mediastinum?

Answer 12

starts at C6 and lies to the right the aorta until it crosses anteriorly

Question 13

What are the constriction points of the oesophagus?

Answer 13

• arch or aorta
• left bronchus
• diaphragm

Question 14

Where does the trachea bifurcate?

Answer 14

sternal angle

Question 15

What is the difference between the left and right bronchi

Answer 15

right - wider, shorter , vertical

left - narrow , longer, at an angle

Question 16

If something was to end up in a lung where would it be?

Answer 16

lower lobe of right lugn

Question 17

Where is the azygous vein found in the body?

Answer 17

runs only along the right side of the body

Question 18

What is the function of the azygous vein?

Answer 18

drains venous blood from the intercostal spaces into the superior vena cave?

Question 19

Where does the thoracic duct lie?

Answer 19

between the azygous vein and the aorta and is slightly posterior to the oesophagus

Question 20

What does the thoracic duct do?

Answer 20

drains 3/4 blood from the body into the left venous angle

Question 21

What are the lymph nodes associated with the bronchioles?

Answer 21

pulmonary lymph nodes

Question 22

What are the tracheobronchial lymph nodes associated with?

Answer 22

trachea

Question 23

What does the sympathetic chain supply?

Answer 23

sympathetic innervation to the skin and intercostal muscles

Question 24

What supplies the skin, intercostals and the abdomen?

Answer 24

abdominopelvic splanchnic nerves

Question 25

What do cardiopulmonay nerves supply?

Answer 25

heart and lungs