Thoracic inlet and Mediastinum

Question 1

Where is the thymus found?

Answer 1

The remains of the thymus in adults are found in front of the pericardium.

In children the thymus is much larger and therefore can extend upward in front of the great vessels as high as the lower part of the thyroid gland

Question 2

What are the boundaries of the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 2

Anterior - pericardium, vertical part of the diaphragm
Posterior - lower 8 thoracic vertebrae
On each side - mediastinal pleura

Question 3

What are the contents of the posterior mediastinum?

Answer 3

oesophagus
thoracic aorta
azygos vein
thoracic duct
vagus nerve
sympathetic nerve trunks
splanchnic nerves

Question 4

What are the contents of the superior mediastinum?

Answer 4

superior vena cava
brachiocephalic veins
arch of the aorta
thoracic duct
trachea
oesophagus
thymus
vagus nerve
left recurrent laryngeal nerve
phrenic nerve

Question 5

What are the contents of the anterior mediastinum?

Answer 5

thymic remnants
lymph nodes
fat

Question 6

What are the contents of the middle mediastinum

Answer 6

Pericardium
heart
aortic root
arch of the azygos vein
main bronchi

Question 7

Where do the perganglionic fibres of the sympathetic trunk come from?

Answer 7

Corresponding spinal nerve of T1-L2

Question 8

What connects the sympathetic trunk to the spinal nerve?

Answer 8

Ganglion and white ramus communicans and grey ramus communicans

Question 9

How do sympathetic nerves leave the sympathetic chain?

Answer 9

through the spinal nerve forming plexuses around blood vessels (cardiac and pulmonary plexuses, greater splanchnic nerve and lesser splanchnic nerve)