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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.
The superior thoracic aperture is essentially a hole surrounded by a bony ring, through which several vital structures pass. It is bounded by: the first thoracic vertebra (T1) posteriorly; the first pair of ribs laterally, forming lateral C-shaped curves posterior to anterior; and the costal cartilage of the first rib and the superior border of the manubrium anteriorly.
The bony skeletal part of the thoracic wall is the rib cage, and the rest is made up of muscle, skin, and fasciae.. The chest wall has 10 layers, namely (from superficial to deep) skin (epidermis and dermis), superficial fascia, deep fascia and the invested extrinsic muscles (from the upper limbs), intrinsic muscles associated with the ribs (three layers of intercostal muscles), endothoracic ...
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.
[2]: 319 The horizontal plane that passes through the sternal angle and the articular disc between the 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae represents the imaginary boundary between the superior mediastinum and inferior mediastinum. [citation needed] It is located approximately 7 cm inferior to the superior margin of the manubrium. [citation needed]
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 superior aspect is the base of skull, namely the sphenoid and temporal bones. This area includes the jugular and hypoglossal canal and the foramen lacerum (through which the internal carotid artery passes superiorly across). The medial aspect is made up of the pharynx. Anteriorly it is bordered by the pterygomandibular raphe. Posteriorly it ...