deck_486543 Flashcards
Where does the heart lie in situ?
The heart lies in the middle mediastinum
What is the middle mediastinum?
The intervening region in the thoracic cavity between the right and left pleural cavities which are occupied by the lungs
What does the middle mediastinum consist of?
The heart, it’s blood vessels and the roots of the aorta, superior and inferior vena cava and pulmonary vessels
Give a more detailed description of where the heart sits in the chester
Posterior to the sternum and the lungs, anterior to the verterbral column, oesohphagus and trachea
What are the two components of the pericardium?
Fibrous pericardiumSerous pericardium
What is the structure of the pericardium?
A tough connective tissue outerlayer
What is the function of the pericardium?
Helps to retain heart in position, due to its attachment to diaphragm and sternumTough sac limits cardiac distension
What is the structure of the serosa?
Parietal layer: lines the inner surface of the fibrous pericardiumVisceral layer: adheres to the heart and forms its outer covering
What is the function of the serosa?
Space between the parietal and visceral layer lubricates the heart and allows for the relatively uninhibited movement of the heart
What is the clincal relevance of the the pericardium?
reflections of serous pericardium create the oblique and transverse pericardial sinuses. During a coronary bypass, a finger can be placed into the transverse sinus in order to separate arteries from the veins.
What is the function of the phrenic nerve? Where does it originate?
The phrenic nerves, which innervate the diaphragm and originate from C3, C4 and C5, pass through the pericardium and also innervates it.
What is the clinical relevance of the phrenic nerve?
C3 and C4 also innervate the shoulder, pain carried from the pericardium (pericarditis) can cause shoulder pain.
Whip out a diagram of the heart and label the coronary arteries
Do it!
Describe the course of blood in and out of the heart
IN1.Blood enters the right atrium via the superior and inferior vena cavae as well as via the coronary sinus, which returns blood from the walls of the heart itself.2.The left atrium receives blood from the four pulmonary veinsOUT1.The aorta (ascending, arch and thoracic) receives oxygenated blood from the left ventricle for systemic circulation.2.The pulmonary artery receives deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle for pulmonary circulation.
Where is the heart situated on a subject?
Upper margin of the heart is level with the 3rd costal cartilage on the RHS of the sternum, and the 2nd intercostal space on the LHS of the sternum.Lower margin of the heart is level with the 6th costal carilage on the RHS of the sternum and the 5th intercostal space on the LHS of the sternum.