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Anatomy Tables - Posterior Mediastinum
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Anatomy Tables - Posterior Mediastinum |
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Topographic Anatomy |
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|---|---|---|
| Structure/Space | Description/Boundaries | Significance |
| posterior mediastinum (N231,TG4-35,TG4-36,TG4-37) | between pericaridal sac and vertebral bodies | contains esophagus, descending thoracic aorta, azygos system, thoracic duct, and lymph nodes (Latin, medius = middle + stare = stand, thus that areas which stands in the middle of the thorax) |
Muscles |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | Origin | Insertion | Action | Innervation | Artery | Notes | Image |
| subcostalis (N254,TG4-41) | angle of ribs | angle of a rib 2-3 ribs above origin | compresses the intercostal spaces | intercostal nerves | intercostal a. | subcostalis, transversus thoracis & innermost intercostal mm. make up the deepest intercostal muscle layer (Latin, costa = rib) | ) |
Arteries |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artery | Source | Branches | Supply to | Notes |
| aorta, descending thoracic(N206,N232,TG4-38,TG4-39) | continuation of aortic arch | posterior intercostal aa. 3-11, subcostal aa., left bronchial aa. (2), esophageal aa. (~3), mediastinal brs., superior phrenic aa. | thoracic wall, lungs, posterior mediastinum, body below the respiratory diaphragm | descending thoracic aorta passes posterior to the diaphragm (aortic hiatus) at the level of the T12 vertebral body; it is continuous with the abdominal aorta |
| bronchial, left (N207,TG4-39) | descending thoracic aorta | right bronchial (occasionally) | lower trachea, bronchial tree | usually 2 in number |
| esophageal (N237,TG4-39) | descending thoracic aorta | lower 2/3rds of thoracic esophagus | there are usually two, although there may be three esophageal brs. of aorta; anastomoses with esophageal brs. of left gastric a. | |
| intercostal, posterior (N172,N192,N237,TG4-39,TG4-10, Practical) | supreme/highest intercostal (upper 2 spaces), descending thoracic aorta (3rd-11th spaces) | posterior br., spinal br., anterior br., collateral br., lateral cutaneous br. | intercostal muscles posteriorly & laterally & overlying muscles, spinal cord & vertebral column & back muscles, skin & superficial fascia posteriorly & laterally | (Latin, costa = rib) |
| subcostal (N264,TG4-39) | descending thoracic aorta | spinal br., collateral br., lateral cutaneous br. | vertebra & spinal cord; muscles, skin & fascia of upper abdominal wall | (Latin, costa = rib) |
Veins |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vein | Tributaries | Drains Into | Region Drained | Notes |
| azygos (N238,TG4-40, Practical) | union of ascending lumbar & subcostal; post. intercostals 11-2 (rt. sup. intercostal), hemiazygos, accessory hemiazygos, esophageal, rt. bronchial | sup. vena cava | lateral & post. abdominal/chest wall, esophagus, bronchial tree | may connect with inf. vena cava; arch of azygos passes sup. to root of lung (Greek,a- = not + zygon = yoke, therefore unyoked or unpaired, as the azygos vein) |
| hemiazygos (N238,TG4-40) | formed by union of left ascending lumbar & subcostal vv.; tributaries: left posterior intercostal vv. 11-9 or 8, esophageal vv. | azygos v. | lower posterolateral chest wall on left side | levels drained may vary |
| hemiazygos, accessory (N238,TG4-40) | left posterior intercostal vv. 5-7 or 8, left bronchial vv., esophageal vv. | azygos v. | middle posterolateral chest wall on left side | levels drained may vary |
| brachiocephalic (N206,N212,N238,TG4-19,TG4-18) | union of subclavian & internal jugular; vertebral, thymic, inferior thyroid, internal thoracic, 1st post. intercostal, left sup. intercostal (to left brachiocephalic) | left & right brachiocephalic unite to form sup. vena cava | head, neck, upper limb, anterior chest wall | at its origin, left brachiocephalic receives thoracic duct, right receives right lymphatic duct |
| intercostal, posterior (N231,TG4-40) | spinal trib., posterior trib., collateral trib., lateral cutaneous trib. | 1st: brachiocephalic; 2nd-4th: superior intercostal; right 5th-11th: azygos; left 5th-7th or 8th: accessory hemiazygos; left 9th-11th: hemiazygos | intercostal space & muscles & adjacent ribs, spinal cord segment & vertebra | |
| intercostal, superior (N230,TG4-40), Practical1, Practical2, Practical3, Practical4) | 2nd-4th posterior intercostal | right: arch of azygos; left: left brachiocephalic | intercostal spaces 2-4 | |
| thoracic, internal (TG4-17) | union of musculophrenic and superior epigastric; ant. intercostal, perforating | right - superior vena cava; left - left brachiocephalic | anterior chest wall and upper anterior abdominal wall | |
| thymic (N211,TG4-19, Practical) | left brachiocephalic | thymus (or thymic fat in adult) | ||
| thyroid, inferior (N238,TG7-13,TG4-19, Practical) | left brachiocephalic | thyroid gland inferiorly | ||
| vena cava, inferior (Practical) | union of paired common iliacs; lumbar vs. 4-1, rt. ovarian/testicular, renal vs., rt. suprarenal, rt. inferior phrenic, hepatic vs. | rt. atrium | body below diaphragm | |
| vena cava, superior (N206,N212,N238,TG4-19,TG4-15, Practical1, Practical2) | union of paired brachiocephalics; azygos arch | rt. atrium | body above diaphragm except for pulmonary vs. & heart | |
Lymphatics |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | Location | Afferents from | Efferents to | Regions drained | Notes |
| thoracic duct (N206,N266,TG4-44, Practical1, Practical2) | between esophagus & thoracic vertebral bodies | union of lumbar lymph trunks, sometimes dilated to form cisterna chyli | junction of left internal jugular v. and left brachiocephalic v. | body below diaphragm, left side of body above diaphragm | largest lymph vessel; passes up through aortic hiatus on right side of aorta, swings to left side of esophagus at T4-T5 disc |
Nerves |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nerve | Source | Branches | Motor | Sensory | Notes |
| phrenic n. (TG4-20,TG4-29, Practical1, Practical2, Practical3) | ventral primary rami of spinal nerves C3-C5 (cervical plexus) | no named branches | skeletal muscle of the respiratory diaphragm | diaphragmatic pleura; some fibers contributed to the pericardium and to the adjacent mediastinal and costal pleurae | phrenic n. crosses the anterior surface of the anterior scalene m. (Greek, phren = diaphragm, for which we derive the word "frenzy," for the diaphragm was considered to be the seat of emotions) |
| vagus n. (TG7-51,TG7-52, Practical1, Practical2) | medulla: dorsal motor nucleus (GVE preganglionic parasympathetic); inferior ganglion (GVA); nucleus ambiguus (SVE); superior ganglion (GSA); inferior ganglion(SVA) | auricular br., pharyngeal br., superior laryngeal, superior and inferior cervical cardiac brs., recurrent laryngeal n., thoracic cardiac brs., brs. to the pulmonary plexus, brs. to the esophageal plexus, anterior and posterior vagal trunks | SVE: intrinsic muscles of the larynx, pharynx (except stylopharyngeus), and palate (except tensor veli palatini); GVE: smooth muscle of the respiratory tree & gut (proximal to the left colic flexure), heart; secretomotor: mucous glands of the larynx, respiratory tree, pharynx and gut; secretomotor to digestive glands | GSA: skin of the external auditory meatus; GVA: viscera of head, neck, thorax & abdomen proximal to the left colic flexure; SVA: taste from the epiglottis | also known as: CN X, 10th cranial nerve; the vagus n. passes through the jugular foramen to exit the posterior cranial fossa; (Latin, vagus = wanderer, so called because of its wide distribution to the body cavities) |
| esophageal plexus (N209,N240,TG4-38,TG4-45, Practical) | right & left vagus nn.; thoracic visceral brs. of sympathetic trunk | anterior & posterior vagal trunks | parasympathetic from vagus supplies smooth muscle & glands of thoracic esophagus & abdominal gut proximal to splenic flexure; sympathetics from thoracic visceral brs. supply vascular smooth muscle in esophageal vessels | vagus: GVA from esophagus & abdominal gut proximal to splenic flexure; thoracic visceral brs.: pain from esophagus | (Latin, plexus = a braid) |
| sympathetic chain ganglia (N209,N240,N258,N192,TG4-45,TG4-46) | pregang. symp. via white rami communicans of VPR of T1-L2 | postgang. symp. via gray rami communicans to all spinal ns.; internal & external carotid ns.; cervical cardiac brs.; thoracic visceral brs.; greater, lesser & least thoracic splanchnic ns.; lumbar splanchnic ns.; sacral splanchnic ns. | dilator pupillae, vascular smooth muscle, arrector pili muscles, sweat glands, adrenal medulla, heart, lungs & gut (moderate muscle contractions, not initiate) | pain from viscera | located parallel & lateral to vertebral bodies in neck, thorax & abdominopelvic cavity (Greek, ganglion = a swelling or knot) |
| stellate ganglion (N209,N240,TG4-45,TG4-46, Practical1, Practical2) | pregang. symp. via white rami communicans of T1 | postgang. symp. via gray rami communicans to C8& T1; thoracic visceral br. | vascular smooth muscle, arrector pili muscle, sweat glands of C8 & T1 cutaneous distribution on chest & upper limb; vascular smooth muscle of lungs | pain from lungs | stellate is the frequent fusion of inferior cervical ganglion & T1 ganglion of sympathetic trunk (Latin, stella = star + ganglion = a swelling or knot) |
| splanchnic, thoracic (TG4-46, Practical1, Practical2, Practical3, Practical4) | neurons in intermediolateral cell column of spinal levels T5-T12; nerves appear to arise by multiple contributions from sympathetic trunk | greater thoracic splanchnic (formed by union of brs. emerging from ganglia T5-T9); lesser thoracic splanchnic (formed by union of brs. emerging from ganglia T10-T11); least thoracic splanchnic (formed by union of brs. emerging from ganglion T12) | to pre-aortic or prevertebral ganglia in abdomen; postganglionic processes from prevertebral ganglia supply smooth muscles of vessels and adrenal medulla which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine | pain from abdominal viscera | pass through crura of diaphragm; greater thoracic splanchnic synapses in celiac & superior mesenteric ganglia; lesser thoracic splanchnic synapses in aorticorenal ganglion; least thoracic splanchnic synapses in renal plexus (Greek, splanchonon = viscera) |
Viscera/Fascia |
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|---|---|---|
| Organ/Part of Organ | Location/Description | Notes |
| esophagus (N232,TG4-38, Practical) | connects: superiorly with laryngopharynx at lower border of cricoid cartilage; inferiorly it passes through diaphragm at T10 vertebral level to reach stomach | upper third is skeletal muscle innervated by recurrent laryngeal, lower 2/3rds is smooth muscle innervated by vagus via esophageal plexus |
| The material presented in these tables is contained in the book: MedCharts Anatomy by Thomas R. Gest & Jaye Schlesinger Published by ILOC, Inc., New York Copyright © 1995, unauthorized use prohibited. |
The excellent editorial assistance of Dr. Pat Tank, UAMS is gratefully acknowledged. |
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| Copyright© 2000 The University of Michigan. Unauthorized use prohibited. |
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