{"id":1791,"date":"2020-08-17T13:29:06","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T13:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/thorax\/mediastinum\/superior-mediastinum\/"},"modified":"2021-11-07T14:20:51","modified_gmt":"2021-11-07T12:20:51","slug":"superior-mediastinum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/thorax\/mediastinum\/superior-mediastinum\/","title":{"rendered":"Superior Mediastinum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The superior mediastinum is found superior to the transverse thoracic plane and is the central compartment through which neurovasculature as well as the respiratory and GI tract pass.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Figure 1. Superior mediastinum.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Description<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

Recall that the mediastinum is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity found between the two lungs and their pleura. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The superior mediastinum is the part of the mediastinum that is superior to the transverse thoracic plane (also known as the plane of Ludwig).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superior<\/td>Thoracic outlet<\/td><\/tr>
Inferior<\/td>Transverse thoracic plane<\/td><\/tr>
Anterior<\/td>Manubrium of the sternum<\/td><\/tr>
Posterior<\/td>T1-intervertebral disc of vertebrae T4 and T5<\/td><\/tr>
Lateral<\/td>Pleura of the lungs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Table 1. Borders of the superior mediastinum<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Arteries<\/td>Arch of the aorta
Left common carotid artery
Left subclavian artery<\/td><\/tr>
Veins<\/td>Brachiocephalic veins
Superior vena cava
Brachiocephalic trunk
Arch of the azygos vein<\/td><\/tr>
Nerves<\/td>Vagus nerve
Phrenic nerve
Recurrent laryngeal nerve (between the trachea and esophagus)<\/td><\/tr>
Lymphatics<\/td>Lymphatic trunk
Thoracic duct<\/td><\/tr>
Organs<\/td>Thymus
Trachea
Esophagus<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Table 2. Contents of the superior mediastinum.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

Mnemonic<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

It might be difficult to remember all of the contents of the superior mediastinum; therefore, we will use the following mnemonic: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The B<\/strong>ad S<\/strong>mell A<\/strong>fter B<\/strong>urning C<\/strong>oal S<\/strong>eems V<\/strong>ery P<\/strong>otent T<\/strong>o R<\/strong>oss, E<\/strong>sther, T<\/strong>om, A<\/strong>nd L<\/strong>arry<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. T<\/strong>he \u2014 Thymus<\/li>
  2. B<\/strong>ad \u2014 Brachiocephalic veins<\/li>
  3. S<\/strong>mell\u2013 Superior vena cava<\/li>
  4. A<\/strong>fter \u2014 Aorta (arch)<\/li>
  5. B<\/strong>urning \u2014 Brachiocephalic trunk<\/li>
  6. C<\/strong>oal \u2014 Common carotid (left)<\/li>
  7. S<\/strong>eems \u2014 Subclavian (left)<\/li>
  8. V<\/strong>ery \u2013\u2013 Vagus nerve<\/li>
  9. P<\/strong>otent \u2014 Phrenic nerve<\/li>
  10. T<\/strong>o \u2014 Trachea<\/li>
  11. R<\/strong>oss \u2014 Recurrent laryngeal nerve<\/li>
  12. E<\/strong>sther \u2014 Esophagus<\/li>
  13. T<\/strong>om \u2014 Thoracic duct<\/li>
  14. A<\/strong>nd \u2014 Azygos vein (arch)<\/li>
  15. L<\/strong>arry \u2014 Lymphatic trunk<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Notice that the structures are ordered from the anterior to the posterior.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The structures are also pretty much grouped up in this order (numbers 2-7 [and 14] are blood vessels, numbers 8,9,12 are nerves, numbers 10,11 are tubes, number 13,14 are lymph vessels).<\/p>\n<\/span>

    Description<\/h4>

    Mnemonic<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Description Recall that the mediastinum is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity found between the two lungs and their pleura. The superior mediastinum is the part of the mediastinum that is superior to the transverse thoracic plane (also known as the plane of Ludwig). Superior Thoracic outlet Inferior Transverse thoracic plane Anterior Manubrium of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1775,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1791","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nSuperior Mediastinum – Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The superior mediastinum is found superior to the transverse thoracic plane and is the central compartment through which neurovasculature as well as...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/thorax\/mediastinum\/superior-mediastinum\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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