Theme 1 - middle mediastinum

Question 1

what are the anterior, posterior, superior, inferior and lateral borders of the middle mediastinum?

Answer 1

• anterior = anterior pericardium
• posterior = posterior pericardium
• superior = trans thoracic plane (T4/5)
• inferior = diaphragm
• lateral = mediastinal pleura

Question 2

what structures are contained in the middle mediastinum?

Answer 2

heart and pericardium, pulmonary trunk and arteries, ascending aorta, pulmonary veins

Question 3

how many cusps does the tricuspid valve have and what are they called?

Answer 3

three cusps - anterior, posterior and septal

Question 4

how many cusps does the mitral valve have and what are they called?

Answer 4

two cusps - posterior and anterior

Question 5

how many cusps does the aortic valve have and what are they called?

Answer 5

three cusps - right, left and posterior

Question 6

how many cusps does the pulmonary valve have and what are they called?

Answer 6

right, left and anterior

Question 7

what is the function of the pericardium and how many layers does it have?

Answer 7

three layers

- suspends the heart and prevents overfilling

Question 8

what are the superior and inferior attachments of the pericardium?

Answer 8

superior - great vessels

inferior - diaphragm

Question 9

what is the external layer of the pericardium?

Answer 9

fibrous layer

Question 10

what is the internal layer of the pericardium and what is it divided into?

Answer 10

serous layer - divided into parietal and visceral

Question 11

where is the pericardial cavity and what is found within it?

Answer 11

between the parietal and visceral layer and contains some serous fluid

Question 12

where is the transverse sinus found and what can it be used for in surgery?

Answer 12

• found between outflow (aorta and pulm trunk) and inflow vessels (SVC)
• can be used in surgery to clamp outflow of blood

Question 13

how is coronary artery dominance determined?

Answer 13

which artery gives rise to the posterior intraventricular artery

Question 14

are most people left or right dominant?

Answer 14

right

Question 15

if you are left dominant, where does your posterior intraventricular artery branch from?

Answer 15

circumflex artery

Question 16

where do the four main cardiac veins drain into?

Answer 16

coronary sinus

Question 17

what are the four cardiac veins?

Answer 17

great, small, middle and posterior

Question 18

what junction is the SA node found at?

Answer 18

junction of the SVC and RA

Question 19

where is the AV node found?

Answer 19

in the inter-atrial septum, close to the opening of the coronary sinus

Question 20

where does the ANS innervation of the heart come from?

Answer 20

cardiac plexi

• psym from vagus to SA node
• sym from sympathetic trunk T1-T5

Question 21

where is the deep cardiac plexi found?

Answer 21

on the trachea

Question 22

where is the superficial cardiac plexi found?

Answer 22

on the arch of the aorta