CVS Anatomy Flashcards
At what vertebral level does the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta occur?
L4
At what vertebral level does the bifurcation of the common iliac arteries occur?
L5
What is the typical diameter of the aortic root? And how can this vary during dilation?
3.5cm to 4.5cm
Name the most proximal to the most distal structures arising from the aortic root
- Brachiocephalic arteries
- Left common carotid artery
- Left subclavian artery
Arteries are to branches as veins are to _______
Tributaries
What are the great arteries of the heart?
Aorta and Pulmonary trunk
What are the great veins of the heart?
The vena caval
Describe the azygous system?
Drains blood from the posterior intercostal veins to the SVC
What components make up both the tunica intima and the endocardium?
Basement membrane, connective tissue and epithelium
Which side of the chest drains its lymph to the thoracic duct?
Left
What two vessels make up the azygous system?
Azygous vein - on right side of posterior mediastinum
Hemiazygous vein - on right side, crosses over midline of body and drains into azygous vein at approx. T8/T9
Lymphatics from the right upper quadrant of the body drain into where?
The right lymphatic duct
What are the three histological layers of the heart?
Endocardium, myocardium and epicardium (pericardium)
What anterior chest wall veins drain into the internal thoracic vein?
Superior epigastric vein
The superior epigastric vein is located where?
The anterior chest wall
The superior epigastric vein drains into what vein?
Internal thoracic vein
Where does the thoracic duct drain?
In the junction between the left internal jugular and left subclavian veins
What and where is the cisterns chyli?
The origin of the thoracic duct at L4
The subclavian artery becomes what artery at the lateral boarder of the first rib?
Axillary artery
What anterior chest wall arteries arise from the internal thoracic artery?
Musculophrenic and epigastric arteries
The musculophrenic artery and which other artery arise from the internal thoracic artery?
Superior epigastric arteries
What artery gives rise to the musculophrenic and superior epigastric arteries?
Internal thoracic artery
Where does the brachial artery bifurcate and what does it branch into?
Inferior to the cubital fossa - branching into the radial and ulnar arteries
What is the clinical significance of the median cubital vein?
Good for cannulation
What are venae comitantes?
Veins following deep arteries in the limbs
What is the larger vessel of the internal and external iliac arteries?
External
What does the external iliac artery branch into?
Deep and superficial femoral arteries
Which artery gives rise to the popliteal artery?
Superficial femoral artery
What two arteries bifurcate from the popliteal artery?
Anterior and posterior tibial
What are the superficial veins of the lower limb?
Great and small saphenous
Between what two layers of the pericardium does the pericardial cavity lie?
The visceral and parietal layer
Which layer of the pericardium belongs simultaneously to both the heart wall and the serous pericardium?
Visceral
Which layer of the pericardium is inseparably attached to the inner aspect of the fibrous pericardium?
The parietal
What are the tributaries of the IVC?
Right and left common iliac veins
What is the protective role of the fibrous pericardium?
Prevents the heart from overfilling
What is the main nerve responsible for the innervation of the parietal and fibrous layers of the heart?
Phrenic nerve
Which layers of the pericardium are innervated by pain nerve fibres?
Parietal and fibrous layers
What artery gives rise to the internal thoracic artery?
The subclavian arteries
What are the three histological tissue layers of blood vessels?
- Tunica Intima
- Tunica media
- Tunica adventitia
What is cardiac tamponade?
Excessive fluid in the pericardial cavity
What can occur as a result of cardiac tamponade?
Impedes optimum fluid dynamics and can ultimately lead to cardiac failure
What chamber of the heart constitutes the base?
The left atrium
Where does the right lymphatic duct drain to?
The junction of the right internal jugular and right subclavian veins
What chamber of the heart constitutes its apex?
The left ventricle
What is the fossa ovalis?
Visible depression in the inter-atrial septum
What did the fossa ovalis arise from?
The foramen ovale
What is the function of the foramen ovale?
To allow the transmission of blood from one side of the heart directly to the other - along with the ductus arteriosus it allowed bypass of the lungs during placental oxygenation of blood during gestation
What is atrial septal defect (ASD)?
Improper closure of the inter-atrial septum - allows pulmonary venous return to pass from left atrium to the right directly
What is the purpose of the moderator band?
Allows innervation of papillary muscles to aid opening of atrioventricular valves
What is the function of the chordae tendonae?
Prevents regurgitation of blood
Visceral pericardium receives what kind of innervation?
Autonomic innervation from T1-T4 nerves via the cardiac plexus
Where do the coronary arteries and cardiac veins lie on the surface of the heart?
In the atrioventricular (coronary) and interventricular (anterior and posterior) sulci
From what part of the aorta do the coronary arteries arise?
The root
At what anatomical point does the axillary artery become the brachial artery?
At the lower margin of the teres major muscle
What vein anastomoses with the basilic and cephalic veins?
The median cubital vein
The right coronary artery distributes blood to what structures?
Right side of the heart including the nodes and bundle of His
The left coronary artery distributes blood to what structures?
Both ventricles (plus septum)
Left atrium and SA node
Where is the SA node located?
Near the opening of the SVC?
What are the deep veins of the lower limb?
External iliac, femoral, popliteal, posterior and anterior tibial and fibular vein
Where is the AV node located?
Lies in the inferior part of the interatrial septum
Where is the bundle of His located?
Within each side of interventricular wall
What types of artery are both the aorta and pulmonary trunk?
Elastic and conducting
What type of artery are the radial and femoral arteries?
Muscular and distributing
What tissue predominates the tunica media of arteries?
Smooth muscular tissue
What is the septomarginal trabeculum also known as?
The moderator band
Where is the thoracic duct located?
Located between the vertebral bodies between the azygous vein and the descending aorta on the right side of the posterior thoracic wall
Which pair of arteries anastomose in the coronary sulcus?
The marginal artery and right coronary artery
What are the tributaries of the SVC?
The azygous and brachiocephalic veins
Which pair of arteries anastomose in the interventricular sulcus?
The circumflex and left coronary arteries
What named ganglia feed into the cardiac plexus?
The middle cervical and stellate ganglia
What two types of tissue are present in the tunica media?
Smooth muscle and elastic fibres
What three types of arteries are there?
Elastic, muscular and arterioles
At what surface anatomy point does the mediastinum divide into its superior and inferior regions?
T4
At what anatomical point does the apex of the heart occur?
Fifth left intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line
Where does the descending aorta lie?
Along the left of the thoracic and lumbar vertebral bodies
At what vertebral level does the beginning and termination of the aortic arch occur?
T4
