High-Yield Anatomy Concepts Flashcards
Anastomosis responsible for esophageal varices
Between left gastric vein & azygos vein in lower esophagus
Anastomosis responsible for anorectal varices
Between superior rectal vein and middle & inferior rectal. veins
Nerve implicated in Bell’s palsy
Facial nerve
* Branches may be inadvertently severed during parotid surgeries
Ligaments that form lesser omentum
Hepatogastric & hepatoduodenal ligaments
Contents of lesser omentum
- Hepatic artery proper
- Portal vein
- Common bile duct
- Hepatic plexus
- Local lymphatic structures
Mastectomy complications
Iatrogenic injury to long thoracic nerve or intercostobrachial nerve
* LT nerve –> winged scapula
* ICB nerve –> sensory loss to medial arm
Borders that define foramen of Winslow
- Superior: caudate lobe of liver
- Inferior: proximal duodenum
- Dorsal: inferior vena cava
- Ventral: hepatoduodenal ligament
Avascular necrosis of femoral head
Displacement of femoral head can tear medial circumflex femoral artery
* RFs: elderly, osteoporotic women
Location of Heberden’s nodes
Distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints
Location of Bouchard’s nodes
Proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints
Vessels forming scapular anastomoses
Can circumvent occusion in subclavian / axillary artery
* Subscapular artery
* Suprascapular artery
* Circumflex scapular artery
* Transverse cervical artery
Main bronchus implicated in foreign body aspiration
Right main bronchus
* Wider & steeper than left
Piriformis syndrome complication
Piriformis muscle is superficial to sciatic nerve
* Injury to piriformis can irritate sciatic nerve resulting in sciatica
Borders of popliteal fossa
- Superomedial: lateral border of semimembranosus
- Superolateral: medial border of biceps femoris
- Inferomedial: lateral border of medial head of gastrocnemius
- Inferolateral: medial border of lateral head of gastrocnemius
Superficial structures in popliteal fossa
- Tibial nerve
- Common peroneal nerve
Complication of Baker’s cyst of popliteal artery aneurysm
Tibial nerve compression
* Weak plantar flexion
Muscles responsible for upper limb abduction
- 0 - 15 degrees: supraspinatus (rotator cuff)
- Majority: deltoid
- > 90 degrees: trapezius / serratus
Trendelenburg sign
Drooping of contralateral side of pelvis while walking
* Superior gluteal nerve injury –> gluteus medius & minimus weakness
Borders of subacromial bursa
- Superior: acromion, coracoid, CA ligament, proximal deltoid fibers
- Inferior: supraspinatus muscle
CA: coracoacromial
Location of abdominal aortic aneurysms
Bifurcation of aorta
Erb’s palsy
Arm is abducted & medially rotated at shoulder, extended at elbow
Nerves implicated in Erb’s palsy
Upper trunk: C5-C6 roots
Most common site of abscess formation in abdominopelvic cavity
Rectouterine pouch / pouch of Douglas
* Lowest point of peritoneal cavity in women –> fluids / pathogens likely to collect
Boxer’s fracture
5th metacarpal neck fracture
* Commonly caused by punching something with closed fist
Indirect inguinal hernias
- Lateral to inferior epigastric vessels
- Pass through both deep & superficial inguinal rings
- Caused by failed closure of processus vaginalis
Direct inguinal hernias
- Medial to inferior epigastric vessels, medial to rectus abdominis
- Only pass through superficial inguinal ring
- Caused by acquired weakness of transversalis fascia
Complication of fibular neck fracture
Common peroneal nerve injury
* Anterior & lateral leg muscle weakness (weak dorsiflexion)
* Foot drop on physical exam
First structure penetrated by an abdominal hernia
Transversalis fascia
Injury associated with spleen laceration
Fracture of 9th or 10th rib
Location of varicoceles
Left testicle
* Left testicular vein drains into left renal vein
* Right testicular vein drains directly to IVC
Venous drainage to cavernous sinus
- Facial vein
- Superior ophthalmic vein
Danger space
Region of neck from base of skull to posterior mediastinum
* Infected via local spread from retropharyngeal space
* Superior spread: carotid sheath
* Inferior spread: posterior mediastinum
Contents of carotid sheath
- Internal carotid artery
- Internal jugular vein
- CNs: IX, X, XI, XII
Recurrent laryngeal nerves
Branches of vagus nerve that course proximally
* Left RLN: loops around aortic arch
* Right RLN: loops around right subclaviam artery
Complication of tympanic membrane rupture
Chorda tympani runs along posterior surface of tympanic membrane
* Injury results in loss of taste to anterior 2/3 of tongue, secretory dysfunction of submandibular & sublingual glands
Most frequently enlarged lymph nodes in cervical chain
Jugulodigastric lymph nodes
* Drain palatine tonsils
* Located in deep belly of digastric, just anterior to internal jugular vein
Complication of palatine tonsillectomy
Glossopharyngeal nerve injury
* Loss of taste to posterior 1/3 of tongue
Complication of surgical neck humerus fracture
Axillary nerve injury
Complication of midshaft humerus fracture
Radial nerve injury
Complication of supracondylar humerus fracture
Median nerve injury
Complication of fall on outstretched hand / medial epicondyle injury
Ulnar nerve injury
Most common congenital anomaly of GI tract
Meckel diverticulum
* Due to persistent vitelline duct
Hirschsprung disease
Congenital megacolon due to aplasia of enteric nerve plexuses in distal segment of colon
* Absent parasympathetic ganglia
* Associated with Down syndrome
Celiac trunk
Courses over superior aspect of pancreas before splitting into 3 retroperitoneal branches:
1. Left gastric artery
2. Common hepatic artery
3. Splenic artery
Complication of cholecystectomy
Inadvertent ligation of right hepatic artery
* Can cause right liver necrosis
Complication of splenectomy
Inadvertent removal of pancreatic tail
* Intraperitoneal in close proximity to spleen
* Causes diabetes
Internal hemorrhoids
- Location: above pectinate line
- Drainage: superior rectal vein –> portal vein
- Innervation: visceral –> painless
External hemorrhoids
- Location: below pectinate line
- Drainage: inferior rectal vein –> IVC
- Innervation: somatic –> painful
Complication of hysterectomy
Inadvertent damage to ureter
* Ureter runs just posterior to uterine artery
Site of prostate cancer metastasis
Metastasizes primarily to vertebrae
* Due to sacral veins connecting prostatic venous plexus & vertebral venous plexus
Parts of Fallopian tube
- Ampulla: site of fertilization
- Isthmus: narrowest portion
- Infundibulum: receives oocye from ovary
Epidural hematoma
Rupture of middle meningeal artery
* CT: biconvex / lens-shaped
Subdural hematoma
Rupture of dural bridging veins
* CT: crescent-shaped
Brain region involved in HSV encephalitis
Medial temporal lobes
* Classically results in altered taste / smell
Arteries involved in anterior nosebleeds
Kiesselbach’s plecus
* Sphenopalatine artery
* Greater palatine artery
* Superior labial artery
* Anterior ethmoidal artery
Arteries involved in posterior nosebleeds
Woodruff’s plexus
* Sphenopalatine artery
* Ascending pharyngeal artery
Visual changes in temporal arteritis
Due to inflammation involving ophthalmic artery
Tumor associated with myasthenia gravis
Thymoma
Superficial inguinal lymph nodes
Lymphatic drainage from below umbilicus
* Exceptions: gonads, dorsolateral foot
Popliteal lymph nodes
Lymphatic drainage from dorsolateral foot
Para-aortic lymph nodes
Lymphatic drainage from gonads, kidneys, fallopian tubes
