Thoracic Wall Flashcards
What are the component of the thoracic wall?
Skin
Bone
Fascia
Muscles
What are the boundaries of the thoracic wall?
Superior:
- vertebra T1, rib 1, manubrium
Inferior
- vertebra T12, rib 12, costal margin, xiphoid process
Transversely
- thoracic cage
What are the borders of the thoracic cavity?
Superior border of the liver
Inferior borders of the lungs
Inferior border of pleura
A stab wound below rib _ can pierce the abdominal cavity.
5
Stab wound in the ______ can pierce the lungs.
neck
Label
What are the functions of the thoracic wall?
- Protects internal air and fluid-filled organs
- Provide rigid exterior wall to prevent collapse of elastic lungs
- Provides for lung expansion
- Privides attachment and support to upper limbs
What are the reference lines of the thoracic wall?
- Jugular (suprasternal) notch
- Sternal angle
- Anterior median (midsternal) line
- Midclavicular lines
- Axillary fossa
- Anterior axillary line
- Midaxillary line
- Posterior axillary line
What are the surface landmarks of the thoracic wall?
Jugular notch
Clavicle
Anterior axillary fold
Manubrium
Sternal angle and manubriosternal joint
Body of sternum
Xiphisternal joint
Infrasternal (subcostal) angle
Costal margin
What is the significance of the sternal angle?
- used to ascertain the position of rib 2
- Marks plane through T4-5 intervertebral disc
- Marks the superior edge of the heart
- Marks the bifurcation of the trachea
- Marks the level of azygos arch
What is the signiicance of the orientation of the ribs?
Downward slope of ribs is critical to function
Label
Label
Which part of the rib articulates with the vetebrae above?
Articular facet
Which part of the rib articulates with the numerically corresponding vertebrae?
Tubercle
Which part of the rib is for the intercostal vein, artery, and nerve?
Costal groove
Which ribs are considered “atypical”?
1,2, 11, and 12
Which muscles articulates with the first rib?
Levator costae
Scalenus medius
Serratus anterior
Scalenus anterior
Subclavius
*NOTE: The costaclavicular ligament also articulates with the 1st rib
Label
1st rib
Which ribs are considered true ribs?
Ribs 1-7
*True ribs are ribs that are attached directly to the sternum by costal cartilage
Which ribs are considered false ribs?
Ribs 7-12
*False ribs do not attach to the sternum directly but are attached to the 7th rib by cartilage
Which ribs are considered floating ribs?
Ribs 11-12
*Floating ribs are important or anchoring of rib cage by abdominal muscles.
Vertebrae, sternum and ribs contain ____________ marrow; a source of blood cells.
red
The thoracic vertebrae have two different articulations: intervertebral and costal. What does each articulation allow for?
Intervertebral: slight rotation of the trunk
Costal (costal facts of transverse processes): Elevation of ribs
*The discs found in between each vertebrae allows for weight bearing
Demi facets are found on __________ of the thoracic vertebrae.
Body
Rib has same number as the _________ (superior/inferior) vertebra and its transverse process.
Inferior
As ribs rotate and elevate along ___________ joint, thorax expands both laterally and anteriorly.
costovertebral
Label
Sternum
Label
List the 4 sternal joints
•Sternocostal:
- rib 1 (fibrocartilaginous)
- ribs 2-7 (synovial)
- Interchondral: synovial
- Manubriosternal: symphysis
- Xiphisternal: symphysis
NOTE: Symphsis and costal cartilage ossify with age
If multiple rib fractures produce an isolated segment, get _____________: paradoxical movement produces pain and impairs breathing.
flail chest
Rib dislocation
an injury where one or more of the ribs are moved from their normal location in the chest cavity