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The mediastinum (from Medieval Latin: mediastinus, lit. 'midway'; [2] pl.: mediastina) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity.Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is a region that contains vital organs and structures within the thorax, namely the heart and its vessels, the esophagus, the trachea, the vagus, phrenic and cardiac nerves, the thoracic duct, the thymus and the lymph ...
The mediastinum comprises those organs which lie in the centre of the chest between the lungs. The cavity also contains two openings one at the top, the superior thoracic aperture also called the thoracic inlet , and a lower inferior thoracic aperture which is much larger than the inlet.
Superior mediastinum. The thoracic ducts ascends into the superior mediastinum, reaching 2-3cm superior to the clavicle, [3] as high up as the C7 vertebral level. [5] In the superior mediastinum, the thoracic duct is situated posterior to and to the left of the esophagus. It is situated between the visceral and alar fascia. [5]
The thoracic cavity is the more superior subdivision of the ventral cavity, and is enclosed by the rib cage. The thoracic cavity contains the lungs surrounded by the pleural cavity, and the heart surrounded by the pericardial cavity, located in the mediastinum.
The mediastinal surface of the right lung is indented by a number of nearby structures. The heart sits in an impression called the cardiac impression. Above the hilum of the lung is an arched groove for the azygos vein , and above this is a wide groove for the superior vena cava and right brachiocephalic vein ; behind this, and close to the top ...
The thoracic cavity is further separated into the pleural cavity which contains the lungs and the superior mediastinum which includes the pericardial (heart) cavity. The organs within the ventral body cavity are called the viscera .
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The human heart is situated in the mediastinum, at the level of thoracic vertebrae T5-T8. A double-membraned sac called the pericardium surrounds the heart and attaches to the mediastinum. [ 16 ] The back surface of the heart lies near the vertebral column , and the front surface known as the sternocostal surface sits behind the sternum and rib ...