Anatomy Flashcards
What is the Mediatsinum?
Space in the thorax (not including the lungs) which is bounded by the superior and inferior thoracic apertures and contains the heart and the great vessels
What components make up the superior mediastinum?
Clavicle
1st thoracic vertebrae
1st ribs
(found above the heart)
What components make up the inferior mediastinum?
Anterior - infront of the heart but behind the sternum
Middle - where the heart sits
Posterior - behind the heart
What is the Sternal angle?
An important plane which is at the level of the 4th thoracic vertebrae where the arch of the aorta lies as well as the bifacation of the trachea
What is the path of the oesophagus through the mediastinum?
Travels through the superior mediastinum and then the posterior segment of the inferior mediastinum
What is the division between the left and right ventricle made visible by?
Coronary arteries
What is atherosclerosis?
Blockage of the coronary arteries due to a build up of fat and plaque.
What is the position of the heart in the thoracic cavity (how is it orientated?)
Anterior - right ventricle Posterior - left atria Right margin - right atria Left margin - left ventricle Apex - left ventricle
What are oricles of the heart?
Extra space for the atria to allow extra blood volume capacity at times during high blood flow to the heart (exercise)
What organs is the heart in contact with?
Pulmonary surfaces - where the heart muscle makes contact with both the left and right lungs
Diaphragmatic surface - where the bottom of the heart makes contact with the diaphragm
What is the coronary sinus?
A confluence of coronary veins found posteriorly below the left atria.
These veins will drain into the right atria
What are the great vessles of the heart?
Superior Vena Cava - brings deoxygenated blood from the head to the heart
Inferior Vena Cava - brings deoxygenated blood from the body (not head) to the heart
Pulmonary Trunk - splits into the pulmonary arteries which take deoxygenated blood from the heart to each lung.
Pulmonary Veins - bring oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart
Aorta - Takes oxygenated blood from the heart and supplies it to the rest of the body.
What is the pericardium?
Sac that surrounds the heart. Made up of 3 layers: - fibrous - Serous (parietal) - Serous (visceral)
What are the functions of the pericardium?
Prevents infection
Prevents the heart from overfilling
Keeps the heart anchored into the middle mediastinum
Fluid between the serous layers lubricates the heart.
What is Pericarditis?
Inflammation of the pericardium
Where is the transverse sinus?
Separates the arteries from the veins
Where is the oblique sinus?
Underneath the pulmonary veins
What are the coronary sulci?
Dips in the heart for the coronary vessels to lie in.
What is the intraventricular sulcus?
Dip between the left and right ventricle
What do the coronary Veins do?
Drain the heart muscle of blood
What do the coronary Arteries do?
Supply the heart muscle with blood
Where / how do the coronary arteries work?
Coronary arteries branch off the aorta
they work when the heart is in diastole, so the blood that remains within the aorta then drains into the coronary arteries to supply the heart muscle
What are the external features of the heart?
Great vessels Pericardium Transverse sinus Oblique sinus Coronary Sulci Coronary vessels
What is the fossa ovale?
Embryological development of the foramen ovale, which had the purpose of allowing the left and right atria to communicate within the foetus
What is caused when the foramen ovale doesn’t properly fold over and shut into the fossa ovale?
Leads to a hole in the heart where blood returning to the right atria can leak into the left atria.
What are the internal visible features of the atria?
atrioventricular valve
opening to coronary sinus
what are the internal visible features of the ventricles
Corda tendinae - heart strings
papilary muscles
semi-luna valve
What is Valve Stenosis?
Heart valve disease
When the cusps are damaged allowing backflow and also being unable to open properly.
