{"id":7980,"date":"2021-11-03T22:25:26","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T20:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/thorax\/mediastinum\/mediastinum-introduction\/"},"modified":"2021-11-06T13:07:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-06T11:07:19","slug":"mediastinum-introduction","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/thorax\/mediastinum\/mediastinum-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediastinum – Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The mediastinum is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity found between the two lungs and their pleura. It houses many important structures such as the heart and great vessels, trachea, esophagus, vessels, and nerves.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Figure 1. The mediastinum.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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

The mediastinum is found in the midline, and it essentially is the part of the thorax that is not occupied by the lungs and their pleura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It extends from the thoracic inlet<\/strong> to the diaphragm<\/strong>, and from the sternum and costal ribs <\/strong>to the vertebral column<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superior<\/td>Thoracic outlet<\/td><\/tr>
Inferior<\/td>Diaphragm<\/td><\/tr>
Anterior<\/td>Manubrium, sternum, and costal ribs and their cartilages; transversus thoracic muscle<\/td><\/tr>
Posterior<\/td>Vertebral column<\/td><\/tr>
Lateral<\/td>Pleura of the lungs<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Table 1.<\/strong> Borders of the (entire) mediastinum.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

Division<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

The mediastinum can be divided into superior <\/strong>and inferior parts<\/strong> (by the transverse thoracic plane<\/strong>), with the inferior being further sub-divided into an anterior<\/strong>, middle<\/strong>, and posterior mediastinum <\/strong>(which are simply regarded as such, but know that they are the divisions of the inferior mediastinum).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each compartment is discussed in-depth in its own article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superior mediastinum<\/td>Thoracic outlet (superior)
Transverse thoracic plane (inferior)
Manubrium (anterior)
T1 vetebra to intervertebral disc of vertebrae T4 and T5 (posterior)
Pleura of the lungs (lateral)<\/td><\/tr>
Anterior (inferior) mediastinum<\/td>Transverse thoracic plane (superior)
Sternum and costal ribs and their cartilages, transversus thoracic muscle (anterior)
Pericardial sac (posterior)
Pleura of the lungs (lateral)<\/td><\/tr>
Middle (inferior) mediastinum <\/td>Transverse thoracic plane (superior)
Diaphragm (inferior)
Pericardial sac (anterior and posterior)
Pleura of the lungs (lateral)<\/td><\/tr>
Posterior (inferior) mediastinum <\/td>Transverse thoracic plane (superior)
Diaphragm (inferior)
Pericardial sac (anterior)
T5-T12 vertebral bodies (posterior)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Table 2.<\/strong> Compartments of the mediastinum and their borders.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

References<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
  1. Stoddard N, Heil JR, Lowery DR. Anatomy, Thorax, Mediastinum. [Updated 2021 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK539819\/<\/li><\/ol>\n<\/span>

    Description<\/h4>

    Division<\/h4>

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

    Description The mediastinum is found in the midline, and it essentially is the part of the thorax that is not occupied by the lungs and their pleura. It extends from the thoracic inlet to the diaphragm, and from the sternum and costal ribs to the vertebral column. Superior Thoracic outlet Inferior Diaphragm Anterior Manubrium, sternum, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1775,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7980","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nMediastinum - Introduction – Meddists<\/title>\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\/mediastinum-introduction\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/thorax\\\/mediastinum\\\/mediastinum-introduction\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/meddists.com\\\/learn\\\/pre-clinical\\\/anatomy\\\/thorax\\\/mediastinum\\\/mediastinum-introduction\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mediastinum - 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