MEDIASTINUM

PREPEARED BY .ASUDA MAJID HAMA

mediastinum STUDENT IN A UNIVERSITY OF SLEMANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY 12/20/2023 1

1ST STAGE
 CHEST CAVITY

Cavity
• The chest cavity is bounded by the chest wall on each side
and below by the diaphragm.
• It extends upward into the root of the neck about one
fingerbreadth above the clavicle on each side
• The chest cavity can be divided into a median partition,
called the mediastinum, and the laterally placed pleurae and
lungs
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 MEDIASTINUM
THE MEDIASTINUM IS A PARTITION BETWEEN THE TWO PLEURAL •
CAVITIES AND TWO LUNGS
;IT EXTENDS •
SUPERIORLY TO THE THORACIC OUTLET AND THE ROOT OF THE •
NECK
.INFERIORLY TO THE DIAPHRAGM •
ANTERIORLY TO THE STERNUM •
POSTERIORLY TO THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN •
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 DIVISIONS OF MEDIASTINUM
MEDIASTINUM DIVIDED BY AN IMAGINARY PLANE PASSING TROM THE STERNAL •
ANGLE ANTERIORLY TO THE LOWER BORDER OF THE BODY OF THE FOURTH
:THORACIC VERTEBRA POSTERIORLY) INTO
THE SUPERIOR MEDIASTINUM •
THE INFERIOR MEDIASTINUM WHICH IS SUBDIVIDED INTO •
THE MIDDLE MEDIASTINUM, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE PERICARDIUM AND •
;HEART
THE ANTERIOR MEDIASTINUM WHICH IS A SPACE BETWEEN THE PERICARDIUM •
;AND THE STERNUM
THE POSTERIOR MEDIASTINUM, WHICH LIES BETWEEN THE PERICARDIUM AND •
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COLUMN 5
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 SUPERIOR MEDIASTINUM
THE SUPERIOR MEDIASTINUM LIES BETWEEN THE MANUBRIUM STERNI AND THE UPPER FOUR THORACIC •
.VERTEBRAE
IT IS BOUNDED BELOW BY THE STERNAL PLANE,ABOVE BY THE PLANE OF THE THORACIC INTET AND •
. LATERALLY BY THE MEDIASINAL PLEURAEL
CONTENTS
LARGE ARTERIES INTERNAL THORACIC ARTERIES, THE AORTIC ARCH AND ITS BRANCHES (THE .1
BRACHIOCEPHALIC, LEFT COMMON CAROTID AND SUBCLAVIAN ARTERIES)
LARGE VEINS; INTERNAL THORACIC VEINS, BRACHIOCEPHALIC VEIN, THE UPPER HALF OF THE SUPERIOR .2
.VENA CAVA, AND THE LEFT SUPERIOR INTERCOSTAL VEIN
NERVES; THE VAGUS, CARDIAC, PHRENIC AND LEFT RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVES AND SYMPATHETIC .3
TRUNKS
,LYMPH NODE; THE PARATRACHEAL .4
BRACHIOCEPHALIC AND
TRACHEOBRONCHIAL LYMPH NODES AND THE THORACIC DUCT
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THE TRACHEA, OESOPHAGUS AND REMNANTS OF THE THYMUS GLAND .5
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 INFERIOR MEDIASTINUM
ANTERIOR MEDIASTINUM
IT CONTAINS LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE, THE STERNOPERICARDIAL LIGAMENTS AND THE •
REMNANTS OF THYMUS GLAND
POSTERIOR MEDIASTINUM •
:CONTENTS
.THE DESCENDING THORACIC AORTA
.THE AZYGOS, HEMIAZYGOS AND ACCESSORY AZYGOS VEINS
.THE VAGUS AND SPLANCHNIC NERVES
THE OESOPHAGUS, THORACIC DUCT AND POSTERIOR MEDIASTINAL LYMPH NODES
MIDDLE MEDIASTINUM •
:CONTENTS
.THE PERICARDIUM, HEART AND ASCENDING AORTA

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.THE LOWER HALF OF THE SUPERIOR VENA CAVA
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.THE PULMONARY TRUNK AND THE RIGHT AND LEFT PULMONARY ARTERIES
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 Clinical Notes
• Mediastinitis
Causes
• deep infection of the neak spread readily in to the thorax through the loose
connectivetissue thar is continuous with that of the mediastinum .
•Penetrating wounds of the chest involving the esophagus may produce a
• In esophageal perforations, air escapes into the connective tissue spaces and ascends
beneath the fascia to the root of the neck, producing subcutaneous emphysema.
• Mediastinal Tumors or Cysts
• A tumor of the left lung can rapidly spread to involve the mediastinal lymph nodes,
which on enlargement may compress the left recurrent laryngeal nerve, producing
paralysis of the left vocal fold.
• An expanding cyst or tumor can partially occlude the superior vena cava, causing severe
congestion of the veins of the upper part of the body.
• Other pressure effects can be seen on the sympathetic trunks, phrenic nerves, and
sometimes the trachea, main bronchi, and esophagus.

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 REFERENCES
 TEACHME ANATOMY
 KENHUB
 CLEVELAND CLINIC

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 THE END

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