Middle Mediastinum, Heart Flashcards
What are the boundaries of the middle mediastinum?
Within the inferior mediastinum, it is between the transverse thoracic plane (sternal angle to disc between T4 and T5) and the diaphragm
What are the contents of the middle mediastinum?
Pericardium + heart, roots of great vessels (ascending aorta, pulmonary trunk, SVC), arch of azygos vein, main bronchi, and phrenic nerves accompanied by pericardiacophrenic vessels
What is the fibrous pericardium? What is it attached to?
The external sac of dense connective tissue which lies deep to mediastinal parietal pleura. It is bound to central tendon of diaphragm and is fused with tunica adventitia of great vessels at level of sternal angle
What is the functional significance of the fibrous pericardium?
Protects against abrupt overfilling of the heart, as in pericardial effusion.
What is the serous pericardium / what are its two layers?
The internal sac filled with pericardial fluid, it is a single epithelial layer composing two layers - parietal + visceral
Parietal - lines the internal surface of the fibrous pericardium
Visceral - lines external surface of heart - it is the epicardium
What is the epicardium?
The visceral layer of serous pericardium which sits ontop of the myocardium
What is the pericardial cavity?
A potential space between the parietal and visceral layers of serous pericardium which allows the heart to move freely within the sac
What two sinuses does the reflection of serous pericardium onto the great vessels make?
transverse pericardial sinus - runs anterior to superior vena cava and posterior to pulmonary trunk (artery) + aortic arch
oblique pericardial sinus - runs between pulmonary veins and inferior vena cava where you get stuck as a cul-de-sac
What is the primary blood supply to the pericardium? Secondary supply?
Pericardiacophrenic - branch of ITA running with phrenic nerve
Smaller contributions from: musculophrenic, as well as bronchial, esophageal, and superior phrenic branches from thoracic aorta
Coronary arteries from aortic arch supply visceral layer of serous pericardium only
What is the venous drainage of the pericardium?
Mainly pericardiacophrenic veins
- tributaries of brachiocephalic or internal thoracic
- azygos venous system
What is the innervation of the pericardium?
Phrenic nerve - primary source of sensory fibers, can lead to referred paid in supraclavicular region
Vagus nerve - function unknown
Sympathetic trunks - vasomotor
What is the clinical importance of the transverse pericardial sinus?
It is the place where a surgical clamp or ligature can be placed around aorta & pulmonary trunk, while tubes of coronary bypass machine are inserted to divert circulation of blood during cardiac surgery
What is pericarditis?
Inflammation of pericardium, can cause chest pain and result in pericardial friction rub
What is pericardial effusion?
Leaking of fluid from pericardial capillaries into pericardial cavity, building up fluid and leading to cardiac tamponade because the heart cannot expand and ventricles will have limited bloodflow
What is cardiac tamponade?
compression of the heart by an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac
What is cardiomegaly?
Heart slowly increasing in size, allowing for enlargement to occur without compression
What is hemopericardium?
Blood enters the pericardial cavity via stab wound or weakened area of heart muscle after heart attack. Compression can lead to cardiac tamponade and also engorged veins in face / neck when the superior vena cava compresses
What is pericardiocentesis?
Drainage of serous fluid from pericardial cavity, relieving cardiac tamponade
What are the three layers of the heart?
Epicardium - Visceral layer of serous pericardium
Myocardium - Cardiac muscle
Endocardium - Endothelium + subendothelial connective tissue, also covers valves
Where does the heart sit anatomically?
Posterior to sternum, costal cartilages, and medial ends of ribs 3-5 on left side. It sits obliquely, with 2/3 to left and 1/3 to right of median plane
What is the apex of the heart and where is it?
Left inferolateral part of left ventricle, posterior to left 5th intercostal space. It points at a 45 degree angle to medial plane and more anteriorly than base
What is the base of the heart and where is it?
It is the posterior aspect of the heart, mainly composed of left atrium, faces towards vertebral bodies of T6-T9, between the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk called the coronary groove
What are the right, left, inferior, and superior borders of the heart?
Right - right atrium, between SVC and IVC
Left - left ventricle and left auricle
Inferior - right ventricle
Superior - right and left atria + auricles
What is the sternocostal surface of the heart?
Anterior surface - Mainly the right ventricle
What is the diaphragmatic surface of the heart?
Inferior surface - mainly left ventricle, related to central tendon
What is the pulmonary surface of the heart?
Left surface - mainly left ventricle
What are the sources of blood to the right atrium? Where do they open to (what level)
SVC - 3rd costal cartilage
IVC - 5th costal cartilage
Coronary sinus - between right AV opening and IVC opening - receives venous drainage from heart vessels
Anterior cardiac veins of right atrium - minor contribution
What are the pectinate muscles? What is their division point?
Muscles forming the rough, anterior wall of the right atrium. They extend into the right auricle, a muscular pouch increasing the capacity of the atrium.
Division point: Terminal sulcus, internally existing as the crista terminalis