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Skandalakis' Surgical Anatomy
Chapter 4. Mediastinum
Sections: Mediastinum, Thymus, References.
Topics Discussed: esophagus and diaphragm; lung and mediastinum; mediastinum.
Excerpt:
"The term "mediastinum" means "to stand
in the middle." In its anatomic application the word refers
to the roughly midline region between the two lungs and their pleural
coverings. This is the region occupied principally by the heart,
great vessels, trachea and bronchi, esophagus, and thymus. According to Moore and Persaud,2
the mediastinum
in the embryo is a mesenchymal mass (embryonic connective tissue)
extending from the sternum to the vertebral bodies separating the
developing lungs. The esophagus has two mesenteries, dorsal and
ventral, which most likely remain in some form in adult life. They
are responsible for the formation of the mediastinum – a
genesis that causes confusion and misunderstanding (Fig. 4-1). The upper part of the thymus or its remnants and the thymic vessels
are located most anteriorly. According to Neville,5
thymoma
ranks second in frequency among mediastinal tumors and is the most
common variety in the anterior mediastinum, accounting for 20 to
25 percent of all mediastinal tumors.
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