Exam III: Thorax II Flashcards
Pericardium
located in middle mediastinum
Pericardium is a tough fibrous sac that surrounds the heart
1. White tissue layer – fibrous pericardium – what you see if you remove chest plate – “fibrous like tissue bag”
2. Parietal layer
3. Pericardial cavity: filled with 25 mL of slick, serous fluid produced by mesothelial cells
Why do you need a lubricating fluid? Reduce friction so you can get a good heartbeat
4. Viscera layer of the pericardium – the layer that actually is on the heart itself. It comes up, wraps around, and becomes the parietal layer
Immediately underneath the visceral layer is the endocardium, the heart itself
Phrenic vessels supply blood to the pericardium Pericardium is innervated by the phrenic nerve
Any agitation of the pericardium will be received by the phrenic nerve, will manifest itself in C3,4,5 as pain (in neck)
Phrenic nerve –innervates diaphragm and pericardium
Landmarks of Pericardial Cavity
- The transverse pericardial sinus – space formed in the pericardium where you could insert your fingers
Separates the arterial system from the venous system (arteries above; veins below) - Oblique pericardial sinus – if you put your finger in it, you can palpate the pulmonary trunk.
Cardiac Temponade
A build up of blood or other fluid in the pericardial sac putting pressure on the heart, which may prevent it from pumping effectively
Pericardiocentesis
Insertion of needle into pericardial cavity to draw off blood or pericardial fluid during cardiac temponade
The patient undergoing pericardiocentesis is positioned supine with the head elevated 30 to 60 degrees. This places the heart in proximity to the chest wall for easier insertion of the needle into the pericardial sac.
Anatomically, the procedure is carried under the xiphisternum up and to the left
Can also position needle through the 5th or 6th intercostal space at the left sternal border at the cardiac notch of the left lung or through the infrasternal angle
Clinical Findings Leading to Pericardiocentesis
Fibrous pericardium is a tough, fibrous tissue sack. Physiologically important for the “soft, squishy heart”
If fluid accumulates in the pericardial cavity, the “soft, squishy heart” will give first
Any kind of fluid build up will put pressure on the heart, compromising the heart – EKG finding, muffled heart sounds= medical emergency – need to do a pericardiocentesis
Stick a needle in patients chest, aim for cavity space. Aim for xiphoid sternal process
INSERT NEEDLE IN UPWARD MOTION AND SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. Don’t puncture heart.
The Heart
GO TO FIFTH INTERCOSTAL SPACE, MIDCLAVICULAR LINE, will come to apex of heart
Known as the point of maximal impulse – where heart beat feels the strongest
Surface name is what is against: anterior surface, base, left and right pulmonary surface, diaphragmatic surface
Great vessels are at the base of the heart, the other end is the apex
Heart Valves
Valves are tough piece of connective tissue
Fibrous dense connective rings – trigones – “heart’s skeleton” - the root of the valve
Fibrous rings also important for electrical insulation – atria and ventricle need to be electrically isolated to guarantee harmonious HB
AV bundle – only electrical connection between atria and ventricle; others than this exist in electrical isolation
Skeletal Structure of the Heart
Fibrous rings for tricuspid, bicuspid, aorta, and pulmonary valves
Right Atrium
First chamber of the heart
Fossa ovalis – in wall, which is an embryologic remnant of fossa ovale which allowed blood to go from left to right atria, bypassing lungs and closes after birth
Some people do not have a fuse, giving left to right communication, a left to right shunt resulting in blood mixing= bad
Blood gets returned in opening of coronary sinus
Crista terminalis – muscular ridge of a pseudochamber
Surface is rough through pectinate muscles – smooth muscles coming together would cause heart walls to stick together
Tricuspid valve – entrance to next chamber
Right Ventricle
Each leaflet is anchored through papillary muscle then trabeculae carnea muscles – the muscular connections of the valve to the myocardial wall
Have connections to IV septum and post myocardial wall – ischemic event or cardiac damage compromising wall – will compromise ability of wall to close – people who have had an MI could have a murmur
Wall damage causes valve not to close properly
Conus arteriosus –area of smooth wall that marks final part of LV – surrounds pulmonary valve which is right before pulmonary trunk
2 types of valves – pulmonary semilunar/cusp valves and leaflet valves (tricuspid)
Left Atrium and Ventricle
Atrium: has 2 openings for pulmonary veins
Can see other side of the fossa ovale
Mitral valve/bicuspid valve
Ventricle: papillary muscle roots valve to wall
Can see next aortic semilunar/cusp valve –blood will then enter systemic circulation
Pump Flow
Heart is 2 pumps in 1 – pulmonary and systemic circulation
Right = pulmonary; left = systemic
2 different pumps; 2 different pressure – Right side = lower pressure; Left side = high pressure
Abnormalities in walls (holes) will give a left to right shunt (blood will go from left side to right side – left is under higher pressure) - causes right sided cardiac hypertrophy
Radiology
Chest x-ray usually ordered to examine lung fields and cardiac size
Quick and dirty – compare the diameter of the cardiac silhouette to the overall diameter of the thoracic cage Looking for a ratio of .5 or less, if greater, indicates pathology
Look for presence of costodiaphragmatic recesses – should not be occluded or obliterated (indicates pleural effusion – liquid residue in pleural cavity)
Breast tissue makes it look more radioopaque
Identify arch of aorta, pulmonary trunk, apex of heart, LV, RV, and RA
Any trauma to chest – RV most susceptible
Called a P.A. film – X-ray comes from back so we do not artificially magnify the heart
Also want a sagittal film – can see vertebral column, some of cardiac silhouette, and costodiaphragmatic recess
Electrical Properties of the Heart
Heart has its own pacemaker – the SA node (sinoatrial node) located in the RA – sets heart’s rate and rhythm Generates AP, sent out as wave across atrium causing depolarization causing atria to contract
On floor of RA is AV node – generates AP for ventricles Travels through single bundle fiber – the Bundle of His which will divide into a left bundle and right bundle
Will project down to apex of heart, the travel up and around the myocardium
Left will travel back to the base of the heart, right will take a side trip through the septal modulator bands, adds at tiny, tiny electrical delay
This allows the left to start the depolarization slightly before the right – allows heart to engage in a twisting motion so as much blood as possible is released into the circulation
EKG/ECG
EKG is demonstrating depolarization/repolarization
P – atrial depolarization (atrial contraction)
QRS – ventricular depolarization
T – ventricular repolarization
Elongated QRS – conduction delay
QRS – rabbit ears/twin peaks – bundle branch block (1 side contracting before the other) = specifically left bundle branch block
Atria and ventricles beating on their own = complete heart block
MI = elevated ST – “tombstones”
Depressed ST = cardiac ischemia
Heart Sounds
Sound 1 = lub; closing of AV valves (tricuspid and bicuspid)
Sound 2 = dub; closing of aortic and pulmonary valves