Aorta.
- 2.5cm diameter
- Ascending is intrapericardial, middle mediastinum
- Arch – begins posterior to 2nd R sternocostal joint, arches superiorly, posteriorly and to left then inferiorly. Rise ant to trachea and R pulm art, apex at L of trachea and oesophagus, descends posterior to root of L lung, ending posterior to L 2nd sternocostal joint. (next to body of T4 vertebra)
- Branches – brachiocephalic trunk, L common carotid, L subclavian.
- Aorta passes diaphram at T12
Oesophagus.
- Passes at T10 with vagal trunks, oes branches of L gastric artery, veins and lymphatics.
- 18-25cm long, stratified squamous epithelium. Starts at C6 vertebra(inf border of cricoid cartilage). Enters cardia of stomach at T11.
- Innervated by vagus(parasympathetic) and cervical and thoracic sympathetic plexus.
- Narrowest at top sphincter – cricopharyngeal
Lymphatics.
- Pulmonary lymphatic plexus in viscera. Superficial drain parenchyma and visceral pleura–>bronchopulmonary LN in Hilum.
- Deep lymphatic plexus are in submucosa of bronchi–> pulmonary LNs–>bronchopulmonary(hilar) LNs–> both superficial and deep then drain into superior and inferior tracheobronchial LNs. –> R and L bronchomediastinal Lymph trunks–> terminate at venous angles.
Azygous veins.
- Starts at T12 when lumbar veins and R subcostal vein join.
- Runs on R side of thoracic vertebral column arches over R main bronchus and drains into SVC.
- Drains posterior thoracic wall, abdomen , R bronchial vein
- L bronchial vein drains into accessory hemiazygos
- IVC passes diaphragm at T8 – with R phrenic nerve
Lungs:
Lung roots/hila.
Right
- Veins – most anterior and inferior
- Bronchus usually middle of posterior.
Left
- Artery is most superior
- Veins – most anterior and inferior
- Bronchus usually middle of posterior.
Pulmonary ligament – sleeve for expansion of vessels.
Arrangements of lobes and segments
- R bronchus is wider, shorter and more directed inferior so can get aspirations.
- L bronchus – passes inferolaterally, inferior to arch of aorta, anterior to oesophagus and thoracic aorta.
- Bronchopulmonary segments – seperated by connective tissue, supplied independently by bronchus and pulmonary artery. Surgically resectable. 18-20 all up
Blood supply of the lungs
- Pulmonary arteries – deoxygenated blood
- 2 left and one R bronchial arteries – arise from aorta and supply lung parenchyma.
- Pleura supplied by arterial supply of thoracic wall.
Trachea.
- Bifurcates at trans thoracic plane or sternal angle.
- C shaped cartilage
- Trachea is 10cm long and 2.5cm in diameter. In the first year of life it is 3mm in diameter.
- Starts at cricoid C6
Vagus and phrenic nerves.
- Vagus – carotid sheath posterior most –> R loops under R subclavian artery to give Recurrent laryngeal, L loop under arch of aorta next to ligementum arteriosum. Vagus runs down medially to aorta and form network around oesophagus and has a anterior and posterior trunk.
- Phrenic decends on anterior scalene passes anterior to subclavian artery and posterior to subclavian vein and passes anterior to hilum–> pericardium and via vena cava hiatus T8.
Transverse thoracic plane
- From T4/T5 disc to manubriosternal angle.
- Seperates mediastinum into superior and inferior.
- Inferior mediastinum is divided into anterior, posterior and middle (Discussed in Week 18)
Coronary arteries
- Just deep to epicardium in fat.
- Aortic valve cusps have R and L coronary arteries – fills during diastole
- R coronary artery –> gives sinoatrial nodal branch –> R marginal branch–> goes posteriorly –> gives atriventricular nodal branch–> often giving posterior interventricular artery(if R dominant in 67%)
- R supplies SA node in 60% and AV node in 80% of people.
- R atrium and ventricle, L diaphragmatic area of ventricle, part of IV septum.
- L coronary emerge and split into L anterior descending and L circumflex artery. LAD gives off diagonal branch. Circumflex gives off L marginal arteries.
- L atrium, Most of L ventricle, most of IV septum, part of R ventricle.
Coronary Veins
- Great cardiac vein – drain ant IV septum and groove
- Middle cardiac vein – drain posterior IV groove
- Small cardiac vein – drain R atrium and ventricle
- All drain into coronary sinus and into IVC