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Relations

Authoring team

The aorta has the following relations during its course posteriorly and to the left:

  • anterior: left brachiocephalic vein superior to thymus and left anterior mediastinal pleura
  • left lateral surface, from anterior to posterior:
    • left phrenic nerve
    • cardiac branches of sympathetic nerve
    • left superior intercostal vein
    • left vagus nerve
  • left posterolateral surface, from anterior to posterior:
    • superior vena cava
    • trachea
    • left recurrent laryngeal nerve in tracheo-oesophageal groove
    • oesophagus
    • thoracic duct
  • inferiorly:
    • left recurrent laryngeal nerve
    • ligamentum arteriosum
    • aortic bodies
    • pulmonary trunk and left pulmonary artery
    • left principal bronchus
  • superior:
    • anteriorly, the left brachiocephalic vein
    • branches of aortic arch

The relationship of structures to the aortic arch within the superior mediastinum provides one way of systematically dividing this compartment.

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