Relations
The thoracic inlet is traversed by:
- in the median plane, from anterior to posterior:
- sternohyoid anterior to sternothyroid muscles
- thymic remnants
- inferior thyroid veins
- trachea
- tracheo-oesophageal sulcus containing the recurrent laryngeal nerves
- oesophagus
- thoracic duct displaced to the left
- longus colli muscles
- anterior longitudinal ligament
- laterally:
- on both sides:
- cervical pleura overlying apex of lung
- internal thoracic artery anteriorly
- posteriorly, from medial to lateral:
- sympathetic trunk
- superior intercostal artery
- ventral ramus of first thoracic nerve
- on both sides:
- on the left:
- left common carotid artery
- left subclavian artery
- left vagus nerve between common carotid and subclavian
- left brachiocephalic vein
- left phrenic nerve
- on the right:
- brachiocephalic trunk
- right vagus nerve, lateral to brachiocephalic trunk
- right brachiocephalic vein
- right phrenic nerve, lateral to brachiocephalic vein
Related pages
- Thymus (anatomy)
- Trachea (anatomy)
- Recurrent laryngeal nerve (anatomy)
- Oesophagus (anatomy)
- Thoracic duct (anatomy)
- Longus colli (anatomy)
- Anterior longitudinal ligament (anatomy)
- Cervical pleura (anatomy)
- Apex lung (anatomy)
- Internal thoracic artery (anatomy)
- Superior intercostal arteries (anatomy)
- Common carotid artery (left, anatomy)
- Subclavian artery (left, anatomy)
- Vagus nerve (left, anatomy)
- Left brachiocephalic vein (anatomy)
- Phrenic nerve (left, anatomy)
- Brachiocephalic trunk (anatomy)
- Vagus nerve (right, anatomy)
- Phrenic nerve (right, anatomy)
- Right brachiocephalic vein (anatomy)
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.