Body Cavities : Part 1

Pericardial cavity

A small chamber that surrounds the heart

The mediastinum

All other thoracic structures are crowded into a central space called

The mediastinum

Consists of a mass of connective tissue the surrounds, stabilizes, and supports the esophagus, trachea, and thymus, as well as the major blood vessels that originate or end at the heart.

Superior Mediastinum

Contains all the structures passing between the neck and the thorax, the aortic arch with the branches, the brachiocephalic veins, the superior vena cava, thymus, the trachea, the esophagus, and the vagus and phrenic nerves.

The ventral body cavity

It contain organs of the , cardiovascular, digestive, urinary, and reproductive system

The right and left pleural cavities

filled with the lungs, occupy the lateral regions

Visceral peritoneum

A narrow space containing a small amount of fluid separated the parietal peritoneum form the ______ _______, which covers the enclosed organs.

Peritoneum

A potential space lined by a serous membrane known as the _______

Posterior Mediastinum

Between the two parietal pleurae of the lungs and anterior to the vertebrae, the posterior mediastinum contains the descending thoracic aorta, azygos and hemiazygos veins, thoracic duct, and esophgus.

Pleural

Each pleural cavity, surrounds a lungs is lined by a shiny, slippery serous membrane that reduces friction as the lung expands and recoils during breathing. The serous membrane lining a pleural cavity is called a___________.

Kidneys and pancreas

Lie between the peritoneal lining and the muscular wall of the abdominal cavity. Those organs are said to be retroperitoneal ( retro behind)

The parietal peritoneum

Lines the inner surace of the body wall

Parietal Pleura

Lines the thoracic wall and is divided into for regins

(1) They protect delicate organs from shocks and impacts and (2) they permit significant changes in the size and shape of internal organs.

Many vital internal organs within these regions are suspended within fluid-filled chambers that are true body cavities with two essential functions:

peritoneal cavity

The abdominal cavity contains the _______ _____

superior abdominal cavity and an inferior pelvic cavity

The abdominopelvic cavity is subdivided into a superior ______ ______ and an inferior_____ ______

Viscera

The internal organs that are partially or completely enclosed by theses cavities are called _______

visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium

The layer covering the heart is the _______ _________, and the opposing surface is the _________ ________

Superior Mediastinum, Anterior Mediastinum, Middle Mediastinum, Posterior Mediastinum

The mediastinum is divided into four regions

Parietal Layer

The opposing layers that lines the inner surface of the body wall or chamber is called the ______ _______

diaphragmatic parietal pleura, mediastinal parietal pleura, cervical parietal pleura, costal parietal pleura

The parietal are divided into four region with are called

Visceral Layer

The portion of a serous membrane that covers a visceral organ is called the ________ _______

Pericardium

The serous membrane associated with the heart is called the ________

Pleural cavity or pleural space

The space between the parietal and visceral pleural layers is called

The mediastinum

also contain the pericardial cavity

Mediatinum

contains the heart and other structures such as the trachea, esophagus, thymus glands and great vessels.

The thoracic cavity

contains the lungs and heart; associated organs of the respiratory, cardiovascular, and lymphatic systems; the inferior portions of the esophagus: and the thymus.

Potential space

filled with only a capillary layer of serous lubricating fluid. the fluid reduces friction to allow the two surfaces to glide easily over each other during respiratory movements. ( pleural space in reality this is a potential space

Costal parietal pleura

is applied to the ribs, costal cartilages, intercostal muscles, and sternum

Middle Mediastinum

is centrally located and limited by the fibrous pericardium contains the heart and the roots of the ascending aorta, the pulmonary artery, the superior and the inferior venae cavae, and the four pulmonary veins.

Diaphragmatic parietal pleura

is fused with the diaphragm and is continuous with the mediastinal parietal pleura

Visceral Pleura

is intimately adherent to the lungs, covering its entire surface and continuing deeply into its fissures.

The thoracic cavity

is subdivided into the left and right pleural cavities

Superior Mediastinum

is the area above the fibrous pericardium. It is separated from the inferior mediastinum by a line that passed from the sternal angle to the intervertebral disc between the fourth and fifth thoracic vertebrae.

Mediastinum

is the central region between the two pleural cavities.

Cervical parietal pleural

projects into the thoracic inlet to cover the apex of the lung

Pleura

the pleural cavities are lined by a serous membrane called

Mediastinal parietal pleura

which is adjacent to the mediastinum.