Lecture 11: Thorax I - Wall Flashcards
Define thoracic wall. What is it composed of?
Soft tissues?
Organs?
the muscles, cartilage, bone, and soft tissues (skin, fascia, nerves, and vessels) that surround the thoracic cavity
Surrounds organs located therein (heart, lungs, thymus, trachea, and esophagus)
What are the lateral boundries of the thoracic cavity?
- LATERAL: ribs and contents of
intercostal spaces
Anterior boundry of thoracic wall?
- ANTERIOR: sternum
Posterior boundry of thoracic cavity?
- POSTERIOR: thoracic vertebrae and intervertebral discs
Superior and inferior boundries of Thoracic Wall?
- SUPERIOR: superior thoracic aperture
- INFERIOR: inferior thoracic
aperture
What forms the superior thoracic aperture?
What does it transmit?
- Formed by the T1 vertebra, first ribs, and sternum
- Transmits major vessels (and other soft tissues) between the thoracic cavity, neck, and upper limbs
What forms the inferior thoracic aperature? What attaches to the bottom?
- Formed by the T12 vertebra, ribs 11-12 (and cartilages), costal margin, and the sternum
- The thoraco-abdominal diaphragm attaches along the inferior border of the inferior thoracic aperture
What is anatomical term for this area?
Intercostal Space
Define intercostal space, and where do they extend from and connect to?(origin / insertion)
Intercostal spaces: the spaces between adjacent ribs and costal cartilages
- Extend from the vertebral column (posteriorly) to the sternum (anteriorly)
What does each intercostal space contain?
- Each intercostal space contains: intercostal muscles (three layers), intercostal vessels, and intercostal nerves
Identify these features
What are the 4 major functions of the Thoracic Wall, and some feature of each.
How does thoracic wall contribute to inspiration and expiration?
What produces the changes in thoracic wall dimensions for respiration?
*Changes in thoracic wall dimensions are produced by
coordinated movements of the:
▪ Thoraco-abdominal diaphragm
▪ Ribs and sternum
What does thoraco-abdominal diaphragm contribute to respiration?
What is the bucket handle movement of the ribs and sternum, and how does it contribute to respiration?
What is the pump handle movement of the ribs and sternum? How does it contribute to respiration?
Which muscles contribute to quiet and active inspiration and exhalation?
What types of bones and cartilage is the thoracic wall composed of?
- RIBS & COSTAL CARTILAGE
- THORACIC VERTEBRAE
- STERNUM
How many ribs are there, and what common features do ribs 2-9 contain?
RIBS & COSTAL CARTILAGES
* There are 12 pairs (left/right) of ribs numbered from superior to inferior
- Typical ribs (ribs 2-9) have a head, neck, tubercle, body, and angle
Identify the marked features of the rib.
(posterior view)
Identify marked feature of rib.
(Superior View)
Define the following functions of the rib:
Head, Neck, Angle,Tubercle and Body
Where are the costal cartilages (extend from where to where)? What feature of the thoracic wall do they contribute to?
- Costal cartilages extend from anterior ends of ribs and connect to the sternum; contribute to elasticity of thoracic wall
What are the 3 classes of ribs?
True Ribs
False Ribs
Floating Ribs
Explain location of the three rib classes and which numbers they are?
▪ TRUE RIBS: attach directly to the sternum via their costal cartilages
▪ FALSE RIBS: attach to the sternum via the costal cartilage of the next superior rib
▪ FLOATING RIBS: short ribs with rudimentary cartilages with no attachment to sternum