GRP 10 Mediastinum

Mediastinum
Group 10
91. Apurva Girase 92. Jituraj Thakur
93.Rani khanavkar 94. Sagar Singh
95. Kalpita Kasrale 96. Hiya Shah
97. Alan Costa 98. Neha Sheikh
What is mediastinum ?
● Mediastinum is the middle space left in the thoracic cavity in

between the lungs.
● It’s most important content is the heart, enclosed in the
pericardium in the middle part of the inferior mediastinum or the
middle mediastinum.
● Above lies superior mediastinum. Anterior and posterior to the
heart are anterior mediastinum and posterior mediastinum.
surface of mediastinum
contents of mediastinum
Mediastinum
superior Inferior
Anterior Middle Posterior

SUPERIOR MEDIASTINUM
Boundaries :
● Anteriorly : Manubrium sterni
● Posteriorly : Upper four thoracic vertebrae
● Superiorly : Plane of the thoracic inlet
● Inferiorly : An imaginary plane passing through the sternal angle in front
and lower border of body of the fourth thoracic vertebra behind .
● On each side : Mediastinal pleura
Contents of Superior Mediastinum
● Trachea and Oesophagus

● Muscles : Origins of (1)Sternohyoid ; (2)Sternothyroid ; (3)Lower ends of longus
colli .
● Arteries : (1)Arch of aorta ; (2)Brachiocephalic artery ; (3)Left common carotid
artery ; (4)left subclavian artery
● Veins : (1)Right and left brachiocephalic veins ; (2)Upper half of the superior vena
cava ; (3)Left superior intercostal vein .
● Nerves : (1)Vagus ; (2)Phrenic ; (3)Cardiac nerves of both sides ; (4)Left recurrent
laryngeal nerve.
● Thymus & Thoracic duct
● Lymph Nodes : Paratracheal , brachiocephalic , and tracheobronchial .
INFERIOR MEDIASTINUM
It is divided into:
1. Anterior mediastinum
2. Middle mediastinum
3. Posterior mediastinum
1. ANTERIOR MEDIASTINUM
● Anterior mediastinum is a narrow space in front of the

pericardium.
● It is overlapped by the thin anterior borders of both
lungs .
● It is continuous through superior mediastinum with the
pretracheal space of the neck.
● It contains areolar tissue and part of thymus gland.
Contents Of Anterior Mediastinum
● Sternopericardial ligaments
● Lymph nodes with lymphatics
● Small mediastinal branches of the internal thoracic artery
● The lowest part of the thymus
● Areolar tissue
Boundaries Of Anterior Mediastinum
● Anteriorly : Body of Sternum

● Posteriorly : Pericardium
● Superiorly : Imaginary plane separating the superior mediastinum from
the inferior mediastinum.
● Inferiorly : Superior surface of diaphragm
2. MIDDLE MEDIASTINUM
Middle mediastinum is occupied by the pericardium and its

content , along with the phrenic nerves and the
pericardiacophrenic vessels.
Contents Of Middle Mediastinum
● Heart enclosed in pericardium

● Arteries : (1)Ascending aorta ; (2)Pulmonary trunk ; (3)Two pulmonary
arteries
● Veins : (1)Lower half of the superior vena cava ; (2)Terminal part of the
azygos vein ; (3)Right and Left pulmonary veins
● Nerves : (1)Phrenic ; (2)Deep cardiac plexus
● Lymph Nodes : Tracheobronchial nodes
Boundaries Of Middle Mediastinum
● Anteriorly : Sternopericardial ligaments

● Posteriorly : Oesophagus , descending thoracic aorta , azygos vein
3. POSTERIOR MEDIASTINUM
Boundaries :-
● Anteriorly : (1)Pericardium ; (2)Bifurcation of trachea ; (3)Pulmonary
vessels ; (4)Posterior part of the upper surface of the diaphragm
● Posteriorly : Lower eight thoracic vertebrae and intervening discs
Contents Of Posterior Mediastinum
● Oesophagus
● Arteries : Descending thoracic aorta and its branches
● Veins : (1)Azygos vein ; (2)Hemiazygos vein ; (3)Accessory hemiazygos
vein
● Nerves : (1)Vagi ; (2)Splanchnic nerves , greater , lesser and least ,arising
from the lower eight thoracic ganglia of the sympathetic chain.
● Lymph Nodes and lymphatics :
(a) Posterior mediastinal lymph nodes lying alongside the aorta.
(b) The thoracic duct
SUMMARY
● The mediastinum is divided compartmentally and consists of subdivisions that house and
support vital structures within the thorax
● Each region of the mediastinum can be considered to serve a primary function
● The superior mediastinum is essentially a conduit space allowing structures to pass between
the head, neck, and thorax.
● The anterior mediastinum is protective in nature and filled with connective and fatty tissue
that cushions and supports the thymus as well as the vital cardiac structures just posterior to
it.
● The middle mediastinum houses the heart and the roots of the great vessels.
● The posterior mediastinum provides space for the passage of structures between the thoracic
and abdominal cavities.

GRP 10 Mediastinum

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GRP 10 Mediastinum

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Mediastinum

● Mediastinum is the middle space left in the thoracic cavity in

Anterior Middle Posterior

● Trachea and Oesophagus

● Anterior mediastinum is a narrow space in front of the

● Anteriorly : Body of Sternum

Middle mediastinum is occupied by the pericardium and its

● Heart enclosed in pericardium

● Anteriorly : Sternopericardial ligaments

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