Middle mediastinum
Mediastinum
A transverse section of the thorax, showing the contents of the middle and the posterior mediastinum. The pleural and pericardial cavities are exaggerated since normally there is no space between parietal and visceral pleura and between pericardium and heart.
Latin	mediastinum medium
Gray's	subject #239 1092

The middle mediastinum is the broadest part of the interpleural space. It is made up of the pericardial sac and its contents.

[edit] Contents

It contains:

• the heart enclosed in the pericardium
• the ascending aorta
• the lower half of the superior vena cava with the azygos vein opening into it
• the bifurcation of the trachea and the two bronchi
• the pulmonary artery dividing into its two branches
• the right and left pulmonary veins
• the phrenic nerves
• some bronchial lymphatic glands

[edit] See also

• mediastinum
• thoracic plane

[edit] External links

• SUNY Labs 21:02-0100 - "Mediastinum: The Middle Mediastinum"
• 2013659195 at GPnotebook

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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v • d • e Anatomy, respiratory system: thoracic cavity (TA A07, GA 11.1087) Pleurae parietal pleura (cervical, costal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic) · visceral pleura · pulmonary ligament · recesses (costomediastinal, costodiaphragmatic) · pleural cavity Suprapleural membrane Mediastinum Superior · Anterior · Middle · Posterior respiratory system navs: anat nose,larynx/lower+thoracic cavity/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/tumors, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc