posterior mediastinum

Question 1

What are the boundaries of the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 1

from pericardium to verts

Question 2

What is in the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 2

Descending thoracic aorta
Esophagus
Thoracic Duct
Azygos system of veins

Question 3

What are branches of the descending aorta?

Answer 3

1&2 intercostal arteries from costocervical
3-11 from descending aorta
12 from subcostal artery

Question 4

What are the name of the intercostal arteries 3-11 from the defending aorta?

Answer 4

bronchial artery
esophageal artery
posterior intercostal arteries
inferior phrenic arteries

Question 5

Where is the esophagus in the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 5

posterior to heart
starts posterior to to trachea and aortic arch
stays medial as the aorta arches and stays behind esophagus

Question 6

What is the azygos vein?

Answer 6

unpaired vessel on right side (varies to middle or even left, however)

Question 7

Where does the azygos vein receive blood on the right side ?

Answer 7

superiorly, receives blood from the superior intercostal vv.; inferiorly, from the junction of the subcostal v. and the ascending lumbar v.

Question 8

where does azygos vein receive blood from on the left side?

Answer 8

drainage from the hemiazygos and accessory hemiazygos vv., which typically fuse together in some form (but note that this region is highly, highly variable)

Question 9

Where is the hemiazygos vein?

Answer 9

Crosses midline to drain into Azygos v.
Highly Variable!
Hemiazygos and accessory hemiazygos vv. may fuse into a single vein
Usually far on the left side; sometimes absent and drainage occurs directly into Azygos v.