Mediastinum
Overview
The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax
, surrounded by loose connective tissue
. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity
. It contains the heart
, the great vessels of the heart, esophagus
, trachea
, phrenic nerve
, cardiac nerve
, thoracic duct
, thymus
, and lymph nodes of the central chest.
The mediastinum lies between the right and left pleura in and near the median sagittal plane of the chest. It extends from the sternum in front to the vertebral column behind, and contains all the thoracic viscera except the lungs.
Thorax
The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...
, surrounded by loose connective tissue
Loose connective tissue
Loose connective tissue is extremely loose. It is a category of connective tissue which includes areolar tissue, reticular tissue, and adipose tissue....
. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity
Thoracic cavity
The thoracic cavity is the chamber of the human body that is protected by the thoracic wall ....
. It contains 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...
, the great vessels of the heart, esophagus
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
, 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...
, phrenic nerve
Phrenic nerve
The phrenic nerve originates mainly from the 4th cervical nerve, but also receives contributions from the 5th and 3rd cervical nerves in humans....
, cardiac nerve
Cardiac nerve
The cardiac nerves are autonomic nerves which supply the heart. They include:* Superior cardiac nerve* Middle cardiac nerve* Inferior cardiac nerve...
, thoracic duct
Thoracic duct
In human anatomy, the thoracic duct of the lymphatic system is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It is also known as the left lymphatic duct, alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, and Van Hoorne's canal....
, thymus
Thymus
The thymus is a specialized organ of the immune system. The thymus produces and "educates" T-lymphocytes , which are critical cells of the adaptive immune system....
, and lymph nodes of the central chest.
The mediastinum lies between the right and left pleura in and near the median sagittal plane of the chest. It extends from the sternum in front to the vertebral column behind, and contains all the thoracic viscera except the lungs.
