The pericardium is a membrane that covers the heart and the roots of vessels that arise from it.
Layers
The pericardium consists of two layers:
- Fibrous layer (external)
- Serous layer (internal)
Fibrous pericardium
The tough, external layer, composed of dense connective tissue.
- Continuous with the tunica adventitia of the great vessels superiorly and is tethered to the diaphragm inferiorly via the pericardiophrenic ligament
- Connect at the anterior surface to the posterior surface of the sternum via sternopericardial ligament
- At the posterior surface, connects to the posterior surface of the mediastinum