The diaphragm is a double-domed musculotendinous partition dividing the body cavity to the abdominal and thoracic cavities and serves as the chief respiratory muscle.

Diaphragm (Credit: OpenStax, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Location

The diaphragm reaches the 5th rib on the right side and 5th IC space on the left.

Divisions

The diaphragm consists of 3 parts:

  1. Sternal part
  2. Costal part
  3. Lumbar part

These three parts converge as a trifoliate (“three-leaves shaped”) at the central tendon, which is fixed to the pericardium.

Lumbar part

  • Arises from medial and lateral lumbocostal arches (also known as the arcuate ligaments)
    • The arches attach to the fascia of the psoas major and quadratos lumbarum respectively (medial arch — psoas major,

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