What are the contents of the superior mediastinum?
Superior Mediastinum:
- Organs: thymus, trachea, esophagus.
- Arteries: aortic arch, brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, left subclavian artery.
- Veins and lymphatics: superior vena cava, brachiocephalic veins, the arch of the azygos, thoracic duct.
What are the contents of each subdivision of the mediastinum?
The mediastinum is a division of the thoracic cavity; it contains the heart, thymus gland, portions of the esophagus and trachea, and other structures. For clinical purposes it is traditionally divided into the anterior, middle, posterior, and superior regions.
What structures are in the superior and inferior mediastinum?
The mediastinum is the area between the right and left pleural cavities. Its bounderies are: superior: thoracic inlet. inferior: thoracid outlet (diaphragm)
What is a superior mediastinum?
The superior mediastinum is the region sandwiched between the pleural sac on each side above an imaginary line from the angle of Louis in front to the fourth/fifth thoracic intervertebral disc behind.
What do you mean by superior mediastinum?
Superior mediastinum is an artificially divided wedge-shaped compartment of the mediastinum located between the thoracic plane inferiorly and the thoracic inlet superiorly. The inferior mediastinum, comprising of the anterior, middle and posterior parts, lies inferiorly.
What passes through superior thoracic aperture?
The right and left subclavian arteries and veins pass through the superior thoracic aperture. These vessels may be compromised by pathologic conditions of the lower cervical or upper thoracic viscera.
Where is the superior mediastinum?
What is the superior thoracic aperture?
The superior thoracic aperture allows connection of the anatomic structures of the thorax and the neck. The term thoracic inlet has a slightly different meaning. It refers to the superior thoracic aperture, the region just above the first rib, and the opening between the clavicle and the first rib.
Which part of the lung S extends through the superior thoracic inlet?
Mediastinum. The mediastinum is a thick midline partition that extends from the sternum anteriorly to the thoracic vertebrae posteriorly, and from the superior thoracic aperture to the inferior thoracic aperture.
What is the superior mediastinum?
The superior mediastinum is a space bounded anteriorly by the manubrium of the sternum, and posteriorly by the bodies of T1-T4 vertebrae. Its superior border is an oblique plane extending from the jugular notch of the manubrium to the superior border of T1 vertebra.
What are the different mediastinum compartments?
The inferior mediastinum is further divided into the anterior, middle and posterior mediastinum. Every compartment of the mediastinum contains many vital organs, vascular and neural structures that are closely related one to another. Such a rich content of the mediastinum indicates its significance from the aspect of the anatomy.
How many visceral organs are there in the superior mediastinum?
The superior mediastinum contains three visceral organs including the esophagus, the trachea and remnants of the thymus. The nerves that run through this area are three and there are also two different nervous plexuses.
What nerve passes through the superior mediastinum?
Vagus Nerve. In the superior mediastinum, the vagus nerve has two distinctive paths: Right vagus nerve – runs parallel to the trachea and passes posteriorly to the superior vena cava and the right primary bronchus.