T1 L2: Superior mediastinum Flashcards
Where is the division between the superior and inferior mediastinum?
At level T4/5 (the sternal angle or the transverse thoracic plane)
At what level does the trachea bifurcate?
Level T4/5
What structures are in the inferior anterior mediastinum?
None, it’s the space between the sternum and the heart
What structures are part of the inferior middle mediastinum?
The heart and the pericardium
What structures are part of the inferior posterior mediastinum?
Everything that isn’t in the inferior anterior or middle mediastinum
What is in the superior boundary of the superior mediastinum?
Superior thoracic aperture (connective tissue between the thorax and neck)
What is the inferior boundary of the superior mediastinum?
The transverse thoracic plane (T4/5)
What is the anterior boundary of the superior mediastinum?
The manubrium
What is the posterior boundary of the superior mediastinum?
T1-T4/5 vertebral bodies
What is the lateral boundary of the superior mediastinum?
The mediastinal pleura
What is the main function of the thymus gland?
T cells mature in the thymus
What 3 nodes drain the lymph from the thymus gland?
Parasternal, brachiocephalic and tracheobronchial nodes
Where are parasternal lymph nodes?
Either side of the sternum
Where are the brachiocephalic lymph nodes?
Near the brachiocephalic vein
Where are tracheobronchial lymph nodes?
At the hilum
What is the thymus gland replaced by after puberty?
By fat
What are the 3 branches of the arch of the aorta?
- Bronchiocephalic trunk
- Left common carotid artery
- Left subclavian artery
What arteries does the bronchiocephalic trunk branch off into?
The right subclavian artery (blood to right upper limbs) and the right common carotid artery (blood to the neck, head and brain)
What is the clinical importance of Virchow’s node?
It can indicate abdominal cancer but can sometimes be benign
What are the 2 branches of the ascending aorta?
The left and right coronary arteries