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The anterior abdominal wall constitutes a curved hexagonal area defined superiorly by the costal arches (margins) and xiphisternal junction, laterally by the mid-axillary line, and inferiorly by an imaginary line running along the iliac crests, inguinal ligament and pubic symphysis.…
General Structure and Function of the Abdominopelvic Cavity Although often considered separately, the abdomen and pelvis form the largest continuous visceral cavity in the body. Together, they provide multiple vital functions including: housing and protection of the digestive and urinary…
Invasive coronary angiography has long been used to map coronary arterial anatomy and associated disease. In this procedure, a contrast agent is instilled into a coronary artery via a catheter inserted into the opening (ostium) of that artery within an…
Breast cancer is a common disease, particularly in postmenopausal women ( ). Each year, in the United Kingdom, there are approximately 40,000 new cases diagnosed and 14,000 deaths. Male breast cancers constitute up to 1% of all mammary malignancies and…
Major Blood Vessels The major blood vessels of the thorax include the pulmonary trunk, the thoracic aorta and its branches, and the superior and inferior venae cavae and their tributaries ( Fig. 58.1 ). Arteries Pulmonary trunk The pulmonary trunk…
Pericardium The pericardium contains the heart and the juxtacardiac parts of its great vessels ( Fig. 57.1 ). It consists of two parts, the fibrous and the serous pericardia, arranged in three layers with a normal combined thickness of 1–2…
The mediastinum is the visceral compartment between the two lungs and includes the mediastinal part of the parietal pleura. It is commonly defined as the region between the two pleural sacs, bounded laterally by the mediastinal parietal pleura, anteriorly by…
The respiratory diaphragm is a domed musculofibrous sheet, approximately 2–4 mm thick that separates the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities ( Fig. 55.1 ). The superior surface of the respiratory diaphragm is mainly convex and forms the floor of the thoracic…
The lungs are the essential organs of respiration and are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The functional anatomy of the thorax and respiratory diaphragm facilitates this complex process. Acting together, the muscles of…
The chest wall surrounds the thoracic cavity. It is formed by: an osseocartilaginous frame consisting normally of 12 pairs of ribs, which articulate with the 12 thoracic vertebrae posteriorly and (except for the last two or three pairs of ribs)…