Respiratory Anatomy 1.1 Flashcards
What is the thorax?
It is the superior part of the trunk between the neck and the abdomen.
What does the thoracic cavity contain?
Heart, lungs, thymus and distal part of the trachea
What does the thoracic wall consist of?
skin, fascia, nerves, vessels, muscles, cartilage and bones.
What are the functions of the thoracic cavity?
- It protects the thorax and some abdominal organs
- It helps in inspiratory movements
- It also acts a muscle attachment site for many groups of muscles.
What is the thoracic cage?
The thoracic skeleton forms the thoracic cage, which involves 12 pairs of ribs, the sternum, the twelve thoracic vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
What do the coastal cartilages form?
They form the anterior continuation of the ribs, providing a flexible attachment at the articulation with the sternum.
What separates the ribs and their cartilages?
Intercostal spaces
What occupies the intercostal spaces?
Muscles, vessels and nerves.
How does the thoracic region communicate with the neck?
It communicates via the superior thoracic aperture which is known as the anatomical thoracic inlet.
How does the thorax communicate with the abdomen?
It communicates via the inferior thoracic aperture which is also known as the anatomical thoracic outlet.
What is the superior thoracic aperture bound by posteriorly?
The T1 thoracic vertebrae.
What is the superior thoracic aperture bound by laterally?
The first pair of ribs.
What is the superior thoracic aperture bound by anteriorly?
The costal cartilages of the first ribs and the superior border of the manubrium
What is the inferior thoracic aperture bound by posteriorly?
12th thoracic vertebrae
What is the inferior thoracic aperture bound by anteriorly?
Coastal cartilages of ribs 7 to 10 and the xiphisternal joint
What is the inferior thoracic aperture bound by laterally?
11th and 12th floating ribs
What is located on each side of the manubrium?
The clavicular notch, which articulates with the sternal end of the clavicle.
What kind of joint is formed between the clavicle and the sternum?
A saddle joint.
What forms just below the joint between the clavicle and the sternum?
The sternum articulates with the cartilage of the first rib.
What kind of joint is formed between the sternum and the cartilage of the first rib and the sternum?
Primary cartilaginous joint
What is the sternal angle and where is it formed?
The manubrium and the body of the sternum lie at different angles to each other and this is known as the sternal angle.
Where does the sternal angle lie?
At the level of the second pair of coastal cartilages which lies opposite to the fourth intervertebral disc between T4 and T5.
What are the three kinds of ribs?
True ribs, floating ribs and false ribs.
What ribs are true ribs?
From ribs 1 to 7
Why are ribs known as true ribs?
Because they are directly connected to the sternum.
What ribs are false ribs?
They are from ribs eight to ten.
Why are they called false ribs?
They are indirectly connected to the sternum. They are connected to each others cartilages and form a coastal margin.
What ribs are floating ribs?
They are ribs 11 and 12
Why are they floating ribs?
Because they are not connected to the sternum.
What is the shape is the first rib?
It is flat and broad.
What are the two surfaces of the first rib?
Superior and inferior.
What is the anterior groove on the superior surface of the first rib for?
Subclavian vein
What is the posterior groove on the superior surface of the first rib for?
Subclavian artery and the lowest trunk of the brachial plexus.
What separates the two grooves?
The tubercle for the attachment of the anterior scalene muscle
What does the head contain and what does it articulate with?
A singular articular facet for articulation with the body of the first thoracic vertebrae.
How many articular facets do all the other ribs have?
2
How many vertebra does each rib articulate with?
2
What things does a typical rib have?
Head, neck, tubercle and the body.
What two ribs do the ribs articulate with?
The one at the same level and the one above it
What is a costovertebral joint?
It is the joint between the ribs and the vertebrae.
What kind of joints are the articular facet joints?
Plane synovial joint .
What is the tubercle of the rib?
The hump at the junction of the neck and the body of the rib
What does the tubercle articulate with?
It articulates with the articular process of the vertebrae of the same level.
What kind of joint does the tubercle and the articular process form?
Plane synovial joint
What is the name of the joint that is formed between the transverse process and the ribs?
Costotransverse joint
What are other joints that are formed in the ribs?
- Sternocostal joint - between the sternum and the second to 7th ribs
- Interchondral joints - plane synovial joints
- manubrial-sternal joint and intervertebral joints - secondary cartilaginous
How does the chest move during inspiration?
The movement of the thorax and the diaphragm the intra-thoracic diameter and the volume of the thorax, and it also reduces the inter thoracic pressure
How does the chest move during expiration?
The diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax and so they decrease the intra-thoracic volume but increasing the inter thoracic pressure, which will help to expel the air. It also allows stressed elastic tissue of the lungs to recoil.
What muscles are involved in forceful expiration?
Abdominal muscles and internal intercostal muscles
What muscles are used for lnspiration?
Diaphragm, external intercostal muscles and accessory muscles.
How many layers of intercostal muscles does an intercostal space have?
3
What is the superior layer of the intercostal muscles called and what is the direction of the fibres?
External intercostal muscles and the fibres are inferioposteriorly towards the hand.
What is the middle layer of the intercostal muscles called and what is the direction of the fibres?
Internal intercostal muscles and inferioposteriorly away from the hand.
What is the inferior layer of the intercostal muscles called and what is the direction of the fibres?
Innermost intercostal muscle and it is the same as the internal intercostal muscle.
What is the mnemonic to help remember the order of vessels from superior to inferior?
V A N
Where are the intercostal vessels located?
They are located between the internal intercostal muscles and the innermost intercostal muscles.
