HK 3401 Lecture 17: Thorax 5

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Human Kinetics
• Course: HK 3401
• Professor: Lorraine Jadeski

Document Summary

Located anteriorly to vertebrae t5-t12, posterior to pericardium and diaphragm, and between the parietal pleura of the 2 lungs. It contains: thoracic aorta, thoracic duct, posterior mediastinal lymph nodes, azygos and hemi-azygos veins, esophagus, esophageal plexus, thoracic sympathetic trunks, thoracic splanchnic nerves. The thoracic aortic plexus is an autonomic nerve network surrounding it. Its name changes to abdominal aorta once it passes t12 vertebra and enters the abdomen through the aortic hiatus in the diaphragm. Branches of the thoracic aorta are bronchial peridcardial, posterior intercostals, superior phrenic, esophageal, mediastinal and subcostal. The bronchial arteries consist of one right and two small left vessels. They supply the trachea, bronchi, lung tissue and lymph nodes. The pericardial arteries send twigs to the pericardium. Posterior intercostal arteries (9) pass into he 3rd through 11th intercostal spaces. Superior phrenic arteries pass to the thoracic side of the diaphragm where they anastomose with the musculophrenic and paricardiocophrenic branches of the internal thoracic artery.