Cardiac plexus
Encyclopedia
The cardiac plexus is a plexus
of nerves situated at the base of the heart
that innervates the heart.
, and a deep part, between the aortic arch and the trachea
.
The two parts are, however, closely connected.
.
It is formed by the superior cardiac branch of the left sympathetic trunk
and the lower superior cervical cardiac branch of the left vagus nerve
.
A small ganglion, the cardiac ganglion of Wrisberg, is occasionally found connected with these nerves at their point of junction.
This ganglion, when present, is situated immediately beneath the arch of the aorta, on the right side of the ligamentum arteriosum
.
The superficial part of the cardiac plexus gives branches
, above the point of division of the pulmonary artery, and behind the aortic arch.
It is formed by the cardiac nerves derived from the cervical ganglia of the sympathetic trunk, and the cardiac branches of the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerve
s.
The only cardiac nerves which do not enter into the formation of the deep part of the cardiac plexus are the superior cardiac nerve of the left sympathetic trunk, and the lower of the two superior cervical cardiac branches from the left vagus nerve, which pass to the superficial part of the plexus.
Plexus
A plexus is a part of nervous system. Plexus has a slightly different definition in vertebrates and in invertebrates.- In vertebrates :In vertebrates, a plexus is an area where nerves branch and rejoin. The electrical signals do not mix; rather, the fibres travel together with their electrical...
of nerves situated at the base of the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
that innervates the heart.
Structure
The cardiac plexus is divided into a superficial part, which lies in the concavity of the aortic archAortic arch
The arch of the aorta or the transverse aortic arch is the part of the aorta that begins at the level of the upper border of the second sternocostal articulation of the right side, and runs at first upward, backward, and to the left in front of the trachea; it is then directed backward on the left...
, and a deep part, between the aortic arch and the trachea
Vertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
.
The two parts are, however, closely connected.
Superficial part
The superficial part of the cardiac plexus lies beneath the arch of the aorta, in front of the right pulmonary arteryRight pulmonary artery
The right pulmonary artery or right branch of the pulmonary artery, longer and larger than the left, runs horizontally to the right, behind the ascending aorta and superior vena cava and in front of the right bronchus, to the root of the right lung, where it divides into two branches...
.
It is formed by the superior cardiac branch of the left sympathetic trunk
Sympathetic trunk
The sympathetic trunks are a paired bundle of nerve fibers that run from the base of the skull to the coccyx.-Structure:...
and the lower superior cervical cardiac branch of the left vagus nerve
Vagus nerve
The vagus nerve , also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X, is the tenth of twelve paired cranial nerves...
.
A small ganglion, the cardiac ganglion of Wrisberg, is occasionally found connected with these nerves at their point of junction.
This ganglion, when present, is situated immediately beneath the arch of the aorta, on the right side of the ligamentum arteriosum
Ligamentum arteriosum
The ligamentum arteriosum is a small ligament attached to the superior surface of the pulmonary trunk and the inferior surface of the aortic arch...
.
The superficial part of the cardiac plexus gives branches
- (a) to the deep part of the plexus;
- (b) to the anterior coronary plexus; and
- (c) to the left anterior pulmonary plexusPulmonary plexusThe pulmonary plexus is an autonomic plexus formed from pulmonary branches of vagus nerve and the sympathetic trunk.It supplies the Bronchial tree and the visceral pleura....
.
Deep part
The deep part of the cardiac plexus is situated in front of the bifurcation of the tracheaVertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
, above the point of division of the pulmonary artery, and behind the aortic arch.
It is formed by the cardiac nerves derived from the cervical ganglia of the sympathetic trunk, and the cardiac branches of the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerve
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
The recurrent laryngeal nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve that supplies motor function and sensation to the larynx . It travels within the endoneurium...
s.
The only cardiac nerves which do not enter into the formation of the deep part of the cardiac plexus are the superior cardiac nerve of the left sympathetic trunk, and the lower of the two superior cervical cardiac branches from the left vagus nerve, which pass to the superficial part of the plexus.