Diaphragm Flashcards
What is the anterior attachment of the diaphragm?
- xiphisternum
- costal cartilages of ribs 7-10
Which hemidiaphragm is higher and why?
- the right hemidiaphragm is higher than the left due to the position of the liver in the upper right quadrant
What are the attachments of the right and left cruras of the diaphragm?
- right crus: bodies and intervertebral disks L1-3
- left crus: bodies and intervertebral discs L1-2
What is found between the cruras of the diaphragm?
median arcuate ligament
What are the attachments of the medial and lateral arcuate ligament?
- medial arcuate ligament: L1
- lateral arcuate ligament: rib 12
What are the 3 openings in the diaphragm?
- T8: caval opening for IVC and right phrenic nerve
- T10: oesophagus, anterior and posterior vagal trunks
- T12: aortic hiatus for thoracic duct and azygos
What are the relations of the IVC, oesophagus and aorta to the diaphragm?
- IVC pierces tendinous part of diaphragm
- oesophagus passes through muscular slip in diaphragm
- aorta lies behind the diaphragm with left and right cruras at either side
What is the risk with the oesophageal opening in the diaphragm?
it’s entry into the diaphragm does not forma true sphincter and risks the possibility of reflux of gastric acid from the stomach which can cause heartburn
What nerves innervate the diaphragm?
- phrenic nerve C3,4,5
- motor and sensory to central portion (as well as fibrous and parietal pericardium and mediastinal pleura)
- intercostal and subcostal nerves
- peripheral innervation
Describe how the phrenic nerve travels to the diaphragm
- phrenic nerve travels between venous and arterial planes in superior mediastinum
- descends anterior to the roots of the lungs on either side
- right phrenic nerve passes through diaphragm with IVC
- left phrenic nerve pierces diaphragm but does not pass through it
Describe the vascular supply of the diaphragm
- internal thoracic artery (from 2nd part of subclavian) and gives off
- pericardiophrenic artery
- musculophrenic arteries
- 2 inferior phrenic arteries (from abdominal aorta)
- superior phrenic arteries (from thoracic aorta)
Where does referred pain from the diaphragm go to?
C4 dermatome
Describe the diaphragm in respiration
- inspiration: diaphragm flattens increasing volume in thoracic cavity
- expiration: diaphragm is raised reducing volume in thoracic cavity
Describe Boyle’s Law
- pressure exerted by gas is inversely proportional to the volume it occupies
- increasing volume in thoracic cavity during inspiration reduces the pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure so air flows into the lungs
Describe what happens when there is damage to the right phrenic nerve and what that would look like in a chest X-ray
- as volume of the thoracic cavity increases during inspiration, pressure in the abdominal cavity increases causing the right hemidiaphragm to rise (rather than flatten)
- this elevation is visible on an X-ray