Heart and great vessels Flashcards
Which two circuits make up the circulatory system?
Pulmonary circuit
Systemic circuit
Which two blood vessels make up the pulmonary circuit?
Pulmonary arteries carrying deoxygenated blood
Pulmonary veins carrying oxygenated blood
Which two blood vessels make up the systemic circuit?
Aorta carrying oxygenated blood
Vena cava carrying deoxygenated blood
What are the two divisions of the vena cava?
Superior vena cava supplying the head, thorax and arms
Inferior vena cava supplying the legs, abdomen and pelvis
What are the two divisions of the mediastinum?
Superior mediastinum
Inferior mediastinum
What are the contents of the superior mediastinum?
Aorta
Vena cava
Trachea
Esophagus
What are the contents of the inferior mediastinum?
Anterior mediastinum = remnant of the thymus
Posterior mediastinum = oesophagus, thoracic aorta and thoracic duct
Middle mediastinum = heart and pericardium
What determines the division of the mediastinum?
The heart position splits the mediastinum into inferior and posterior
What surrounds the heart?
A fibrous bag called the fibrous pericardium
What is found between the fibrous pericardium and the heart?
Serous pericardium
What are the two layers of the serous pericardium?
Parietal layer - layer facing the fibrous pericardium
Visceral layer - layer facing the heart
Which nerves supply the fibrous and parietal layers?
Somatic phrenic nerves
What is the shape of the heart?
Trapezoid
What features are found in the borders of the heart?
Superior border - great vessels
Inferior border - mostly right ventricle
Right border - right atrium
Left border - left ventricle
Apex
What are the two main divisions of the heart?
Atria - receives blood from veins
Ventricles - passes blood to the arteries
Aside from the major blood vessels, what are other important external features of the heart?
Vagus nerve
Ligamentum arteriosum
Which regions of the embryo form the atria?
- The true atrium
2. The sinus venosus
What is the sinus venosus?
Sac into which all the veins empty