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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 ...
Date/Time Thumbnail Dimensions User Comment; current: 19:25, 21 March 2018: 2,573 × 2,086 (1.16 MB): Mikael Häggström: Left arteries are more superior than right
The thoracic cavity (or chest cavity) is the chamber of the body of vertebrates that is protected by the thoracic wall (rib cage and associated skin, muscle, and fascia). The central compartment of the thoracic cavity is the mediastinum .
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]
It is located within the posterior mediastinal cavity, but frequently bulges into the left pleural cavity. The descending thoracic aorta begins at the lower border of the fourth thoracic vertebra and ends in front of the lower border of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, at the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm where it becomes the abdominal aorta.
The mediastinal pleura is the portion covering the lateral surfaces of the mediastinum, predominantly the fibrous pericardium, the thoracic aorta, the first part of the subclavian artery, the superior vena cava/azygos vein, the esophagus and (very rarely) an enlarged thymus.
The root of the right lung lies behind the superior vena cava and part of the right atrium, and below the azygos vein.That of the left lung passes beneath the aortic arch and in front of the descending aorta; the phrenic nerve, pericardiacophrenic artery and vein, and the anterior pulmonary plexus, lie in front of each, and the vagus nerve and posterior pulmonary plexus lie behind.
Drainage Territories: Although these trunks generally drain the mediastinum, lungs, and associated structures, the specific regions of the thorax drained by each trunk can vary. This is particularly important in surgical settings, such as during lymph node dissections or in evaluating the lymphatic spread of thoracic cancers.