Cardiac plexus (dave's notes)

Question 1

What fibres contribute to the cardiac plexus?

Answer 1

Sympathetic, parasympathetic, and afferent fibres; divided into deep and superficial parts.

Question 2

What contributes to the superficial part of the cardiac plexus? Describe its structure and location.

Answer 2

The union of the left vagus (the inferior cervical cardiac branch of) and the left cervical sympathetic ganglion (cardiac branch of the). It is thus two small autonomic nerve scrolling from the left of the aorta lying in front of the left atrium.

Question 3

Describe the deep part of the cardiac plexus. What contributes to it? Where is it found?

Answer 3

The deep part of the plexus is larger than the superficial. It receives fibres from the right and left vagi, and th elect and right recurrent laryngeal nerve, and from cervical sympathetic ganglia. It lies to the right of the left atrium.

Question 4

Describe the sympathetic fibres of the cardiac plexus

Answer 4

Post ganglionic

Question 5

Describe the parasympathetic fibres of the cardiac plexus

Answer 5

Pre-ganglionic and relay in the heart wall.

Question 6

What runs with the sympathetic fibres? When may this be damaged?

Answer 6

Pain fibres run with the sympathetic fibres and may be damaged in a myocardial infarction.