Anatomy · MU Sofia

Cardiovascular system · 105. Pericardium. Pericardial cavity.

Covers the pericardium as a fibro-serous sac around the heart and great vessel roots, separating the tough fibrous layer from the two serous layers. It describes the fibrous pericardium's attachments to the sternum, diaphragm, mediastinum and great vessels, then the visceral and parietal serous layers and the narrow pericardial cavity. It closes with the transverse and oblique sinuses, and the blood supply and nerves.

Inside: 6 sections · 6 labelled pictures · 13 flashcards · 3 min

Topic 97 of 264 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Anatomy (Dental Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 6 sections, about 333 words (3 min of reading), with 13 flashcards.

In this note

  1. PERICARDIUM
  2. Fibrous pericardium:
  3. Serous Pericardium:
  4. Pericardial cavity:
  5. Pericardial sinuses: hollow space
  6. Blood Supply:

PERICARDIUM

1 spoon full = the fluid amount.

  • It is a Fibro-serous sac surrounding the heart and the roots of great vessels.
  • Consists of 2 layers fuse together fibrous and serous.

Fibrous pericardium:

  • It is the tough outer layer.
  • It defines the boundaries of the middle mediastinum.
  • It is cone shaped sac.

- Superiorly, its apex surrounds the great vessels and adherent to their walls.

- Inferiorly, its base fuses with central tendon of the diaphragm (pierced by IVC).

- On either sides, it is related to phrenic nerves and pericardiophrenic vessels and medial surfaces of both lungs.

- Anteriorly, it is related to body of sternum, attached to it by two sterno-pericadial ligaments (superior and inferior).

- Posteriorly, it is related to posterior mediastinal structures (esophagus and descending thoracic aorta).

Serous Pericardium:

  • It is closed serous sac that is invaginated by heart to be divided into:
  1. 1. Visceral layer - adherent to the heart (epicardium)
  2. 2. Parietal layer : lines the inner surface of fibrous pericardium

* Both layers are continuous around roots of great vessels.

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