Dissection of Coronary Arteries and Heart Chambers Flashcards
What is the pericardium?
Fibroserous sac surrounding the heart and roots of great vessels
2 components of pericardium? Describe each.
- Serous pericardium: thin with 2 parts
2. Fibrous pericardium: tough connective tissue defining the borders of the middle mediastinum
2 portions of serous pericardium? Describe each.
- Parietal layer lining the inner surface of the fibrous pericardium
- Visceral layer adhering to the heart
Other name for visceral pericardium?
Epicardium
Where are the visceral and parietal pericardial layers continuous?
At the roots of the great vessels
Describe the borders/attachments of the fibrous pericardium.
- Inferiorly: base attached to the central tendon of the diaphragm and to a small muscular area on the left side
- Superiorly: apex continuous with tunica adventitia of great vessels
- Anteriorly: attached to posterior surface of sternum by sternopericardial ligaments
Purpose of fibrous pericardium?
- Retains heart in its position
2. Limits cardiac distention
Innervation of fibrous pericardium? Location of these nerves related to what?
Phrenic nerves
Related to embryological origin of the diaphragm and changes that occur during the formation of the pericardial cavity
Blood supply of fibrous pericardium? Location?
Pericardiacophrenic arteries located within the fibrous pericardium
What are the 2 pericardial sinuses?
Reflections of serous pericardium:
- Oblique pericardial sinus
- Transverse pericardial sinus
Describe the oblique pericardial sinus.
Cul-de-sac posterior to the left atrium formed by the posterior reflection surrounding the pulmonary veins, SVC, and IVC that is J shaped
Describe the transverse pericardial sinus.
Passage posterior to the ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk anterior to SVC and superior to LA, between the reflection surrounding the pulmonary veins and a superior reflection surrounding the arteries, the aorta, and the pulmonary trunk
During surgery, how to separate the veins from the arteries in the great vessels?
Open pericardium anteriorly and place a finger in the transverse sinus
During surgery, how to place hand in the oblique pericardial sinus?
Place hand under apex of the heart and move it superiorly and posteriorly to slip into it
5 arteries supplying the pericardium?
Branches from:
- Pericardiacophrenic arteries
- Internal thoracic arteries
- Musculophrenic arteries
- Inferior phrenic arteries
- Thoracic aorta
Where do veins from the pericardium drain?
- Azygos system of veins
- Internal thoracic veins
- Superior phrenic veins
3 nerves innervating the pericardium?
Arise from:
- Vagus nerves
- Phrenic nerves
- Sympathetic trunks
Where is pain from parietal and fibrous pericardia felt?
Pain in C3-C5 dermatomes = lateral neck and supraclavicular region of shoulder
What is pericarditis? Common causes?
Inflammatory condition of the pericardium
Common causes: viral, bacterial infections, systemic illnesses (chronic renal failure), and after myocardial infarction
What is a common cause of bacterial pericarditis? How can this be avoided?
Oral surgery
Prophylactic antibiotics
How to distinguish pericarditis from myocardial infarction in a patient?
Pain in both in central chest that radiates to one or both arms
Pain of pericarditis may be relieved by sitting forward and a EKG is used to distinguish them for sure
What is pericardial effusion? Treatment?
Pericardial cavity becomes a real space with fluid build-up causing compression of the heart = cardiac tamponade and biventricular failure
Treatment = pericardiocentesis (draining)
Where exactly is pericardiocentesis performed? Why? Other name for this area?
Bare area of the pericardium = Larrey’s area => just inferior to the 5th rib (5th intercostal space) about 1 inch to the left of the sternum
No lung overlying this area
What is constrictive pericarditis? Diagnosis? Treatment?
Abnormal thickening of the pericardial sac that can compress the heart and result in heart failure
Diagnosis: inspect jugular venous pulse for Kussmaul’s sign
Treatment: surgical opening of pericardium
What is jugular venous distention called? When is this observed?
Kussmaul’s sign
During inspiration, when the venous pressure in the jugulars is supposed to decline
Borders of mediastinum?
- Laterally: pleural cavities
- Anteriorly: sternum
- Posteriorly: thoracic vertebrae
- Superiorly: thoracic aperture
- Inferiorly: diaphragm
Parts of mediastinum?
- Superior
2. Inferior: anterior, middle, and posterior
Describe the pericardium in cadavers.
Fibrous and parietal pericardia are adhered together and cannot be separated
How is one of the cardiac sinuses exploited during bypass surgery?
The location of the transverse one is exploited as a surgical clamp is introduced into the space to separate the aorta from the pulmonary trunk and then blood flow of the aorta/pulmonary trunk is stopped momentarily before great vessels are connected to the bypass machine
Describe the orientation of the heart.
Pyramid resting on its side with apex pointing forward, downward, and to the left and base facing posteriorly
Components of the base of the heart?
- LA
- Small portion of RA
- Proximal parts of great veins: pulmonary veins and venae cavae
What is unique about the LA compared to the other heart chambers?
- It does not sit on the diaphragm (large gap between the 2)
- It rests directly on the esophagus posteriorly (soft vertical bump on LA if you remove the heart) - both are perpendicular to each other
Vertebral borders of base of the heart?
Sitting: T5 to T8
Standing: T6 to T9
What is the apex of the heart formed by? Surface projection?
Formed by inferolateral part of the LV
Surface projection: left 5th intercostal space, 8-9 (3.3 inches) cm from the midsternal line
How many surfaces does the heart have? Describe them.
- Anterior surface: mostly RV with a little RA and LV
- Diaphragmatic surface: LV and small portion of RV
- Left pulmonary surface: faces the left lung, is broad and convex and is mostly LV and portion of LA
- Right pulmonary surface: faces the right lung is broad and convex and is the RA
- Base surface: mostly LA
What separates the diaphragmatic surface of the heart and the base of the heart?
Coronary sinus
How many margins does the heart have? Describe them.
4 total:
- Inferior margin: sharp edge between diaphragmatic and anterior surfaces (mostly RV + LV near apex)
- Right and left margins = right and left pulmonary surfaces
- Obtuse margin: round edge between left pulmonary surface and diaphragmatic surface extending from left auricle to cardiac apex (mostly LV + left auricle superiorly)
Other name for inferior margin of the heart?
Acute margin of the heart
Other name for anterior surface of the heart?
Sternocostal
What forms the external coronary sulci?
Internal partitions dividing the heart into 4 chambers
What are the 2 sulci of the surface of the heart? Describe the position of each.
- Coronary sulcus: between the atria and the ventricles circumscribing the entire heart
- Anterior and posterior interventricular sulci: between the ventricles on both the anterior and posterior surfaces of the heart
3 vessels in coronary sinus?
- RCA
- Small cardiac vein
- Circumflex branch of LCA
Where is the coronary sinus located exteriorly?
Runs along the posterior coronary sulcus, medial to the IVC
Where do all of the cardiac veins drain?
All in the coronary sinus of the RA, except for the anterior cardiac veins which drain directly into the RA
2 vessels in anterior interventricular sulcus?
- Anterior interventricular artery
2. Great cardiac vein
2 vessels in postterior interventricular sulcus?
- Posterior interventricular artery
2. Middle cardiac vein
Position of visceral pericardium in regards to coronary sulci and vessels?
Superficial to
Where do the coronary arteries arise from?
From the aortic sinuses in the initial portion of the ascending aorta
2 coronary arteries?
Right and left
Describe the course of the RCA.
Right aortic sinus => passes anteriorly and then descends vertically in the coronary sulcus between RA and RV => inferior margin of heart => turns posteriorly onto diaphragmatic surface and base of heart
4 branches of RCA and their location?
- Atrial branch between right auricle and ascending aorta
- Sinu-atrial nodal branch (off of atrial branch) which passes posteriorly around SVC to supply SA node
- Right marginal branch off of the inferior margin of the RCA along border toward apex
- Posterior interventricular branch
Which coronary artery supplies the AV node?
Small branch of RCA on base/diaphragmatic surface of the heart
List all of the structures supplied by the RCA.
- RA
- RV
- SA node
- AV node
- Interatrial septum
- Portion of LA
- Posteroinferior third of the IV septum
- Portion of posterior part of LV
Describe the course of the LCA.
Left aortic sinus of ascending aorta => posterior to pulmonary trunk and anterior to left auricle => barely in coronary sulcus
3 branches of LCA? Include locations
- Anterior interventricular branch descends obliquely toward apex of the heart in the anterior IV sulcus (with 1-2 diagonal branches)
- Circumflex branch in coronary sulcus onto base/diaphragmatic surface ending before reaching the PIB
- Left marginal artery from the circumflex branch continues across the obtuse margin
Other name for anterior interventricular branch of LCA?
Left anterior descending artery = LAD
List all of the structures supplied by the LCA.
- Most of LA
- Most of LV
- Most of IV septum (including AV bundle and bundle branches)
What does heart dominance refer to?
Refers to which side of the heart is responsible for giving rise to the posterior interventricular artery
Most people (85%) are right heart dominant
For 15% of people the PIB branches off the circumflex branch of the LCA
What does the PIB supply?
Large portion of posterior wall of LV + posterior wall of RV + inferoposterior 1/3rd of IV septum
When not supplied by RCA, what supplies the SA and AV nodes?
Circumflex branch of LCA
Other name for PIB?
Posterior descending artery (PDA)
Other name for short LCA?
Left main stem vessel
What are the 5 major branches of the coronary veins? What about the minor 5th one? Describe their location and size.
- Great cardiac vein: LARGE, starts at apex => anterior IV sulcus => follows circumflex branch => enlarges to form LONG LARGE coronary sinus
- Middle cardiac vein: MEDIUM, starts at apex => posterior IV sulcus
- Small cardiac vein: SMALL, starts at lower anterior portion of coronary sulcus between RA and RV => base/diaphragmatic surface
- Anterior cardiac veins: SMALL, on anterior border of RA and RV running along RV anterior surface and entering the anterior wall of the RA
- Posterior cardiac vein: SMALL, posterior surface of LV to the left of the middle cardiac vein
- Marginal vein: usually branches from the small cardiac vein running with the marginal artery of the RCA or just part of the anterior cardiac veins
Which are more superficial: coronary arteries or veins?
Veins
Where do all of the cardiac veins drain?
All in the coronary sinus of the RA, except for the anterior cardiac veins (and sometimes the posterior cardiac vein) which drain directly into the RA
Where are marginal branches of the coronary arteries located?
Run towards the apex of the heart
How are the coronary arteries accessed in an angiogram?
Catheter is inserted into the femoral artery and passed in a retrograde manner through the aorta into the coronary arteries (VERY invasive)
What area will be oxygen deprived by a blood clot or plaque that occludes a vessel?
The area DISTAL to the blood clot
What are the 6 sites of coronary occlusion in order of frequency?
- Anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery (or LAD) (40-50%)
- Right coronary artery (30-40%)
- Circumflex branch of the left coronary artery (15-20%)
- Left coronary artery
- Posterior interventricular branch of the right coronary artery
- Marginal artery branch of the right coronary artery
Other name for middle cardiac vein?
Posterior IV vein
What arteries is the great cardiac vein associated with?
LAD and circumflex
What arteries is the middle cardiac vein associated with?
PIB
What arteries is the small cardiac vein associated with?
RCA and its marginal branch
What arteries is the posterior cardiac vein associated with?
None
What are the venae cordis minimae? Other name?
Smallest cardiac veins draining directly into cardiac chambers (numerous on right and few on left, especially LV) through the foramina of the venae cordis minimae
Also called veins of Thebesius
Lymphatic drainage of heart?
Follows coronary arteries and drains into:
- Brachiocephalic nodes
- Tracheobrachial nodes
RA receives blood from what 4 vessels? Where does each enter?
- SVC: posterior superior surface
- IVC: posterior inferior surface
- Coronary sinus: posterior inferior surface
- Anterior cardiac veins: anterior surface
Through what does blood pass to go from RA to RV? In what direction does blood flow?
Right atrioventricular orifice with tricuspid valve
Direction of blood: horizontal and forward