Organization of posterior mediastinum

Position and Extent:

It’s the portion of the mediastinum posterior to the heart and pericardium.

Boundaries

• Superior: the plane joining the sternal angle to T4/5
• Inferiorly: the thoracic diaphragm
• Anteriorly: the heart and pericardium
• Posteriorly: the inferior 8 thoracic vertebrae (T5-T12)

Contents:

• The thoracic aorta
• Part of the thoracic esophagus and the related vagus nerve
• The azygous venous system
• The thoracic duct

Extents

T4/5, to T12,

Course and Relations

• At first it lies on the left of the bodies of T5-6, then inclines medially over the front of T7, displacing the esophagus to the right .
  
  
• Further down the aorta passes behind the espophagus
  
  
• It descends posterior to the root of the left lung and the pericardium in contact with the medial surface of the left lung
  
  
• The thoracic duct and azygous vein ascend on the right of the aorta
  
  
• The hemiazygous and accessory hemiazygous are related to it on the right.

Branches The bronchial The posterior intercostals Esophageal Pericardial Subcostal arteries Esophageal arteries Pericardial branches Mediastinal branches Superior phrenic arteries