Thoracic cavity
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thoracic cavity
Second largest hollow space of the body, enclosed by the ribs, vertebral column, and breastbone and separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm. It contains the lungs and bronchi, part of the esophagus and trachea, and the heart and major blood vessels. A membrane called the pleura lines the cavity (parietal pleura) and continues over the lung (visceral pleura) and the rest of the cavity's contents, defining a space called the mediastinum. Disorders include blood (hemothorax) or air (pneumothorax, which can lead to atelectasis) in the pleural cavity and inflammation of the pleura (pleurisy).
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Thoracic cavity
Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine:
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thoracic cavity
The chest cavity. See thorax, thoracic curvature, spinal curvature.
American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary:
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thoracic cavity
n.
The space within the walls of the chest, bounded below by the diaphragm and above by the neck, and containing the heart and the lungs.
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categories related to 'thoracic cavity'
- Trunk - thoracic cavity: hollow in trunk containing heart and lungs
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Thoracic cavity
| Thoracic cavity | |
|---|---|
| Latin | cavitas thoracis |
| Gray's | subject #136 524 |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | Thoracic cavity |
The thoracic cavity (or chest cavity) is the chamber of the human body (and other animal bodies) that is protected by the thoracic wall (thoracic cage and associated skin, muscle, and fascia).
The thoracic area includes the tendons as well as the cardiovascular system which could be damaged from injury to the back, spine or the neck.
Components
Structures within the thoracic cavity include:
- structures of the cardiovascular system, including the heart and great vessels, which include the thoracic aorta, the pulmonary artery and all its branches, the superior and inferior vena cava, the pulmonary veins, and the azygos vein
- structures of the respiratory system, including the trachea, bronchi and lungs
- structures of the digestive system, including the esophagus,
- endocrine glands, including the thymus gland,
- structures of the nervous system including the paired vagus nerves, and the paired sympathetic chains,
- lymphatics including the thoracic duct.
It contains three potential spaces lined with mesothelium: the paired pleural cavities and the pericardial cavity. The mediastinum comprises those organs which lie in the centre of the chest between the lungs.
Clinical significance
If the pleural cavity is breached from the outside, as by a bullet wound or knife wound, a pneumothorax, or air in the cavity, may result. If the volume of air is significant, one or both lungs may collapse, which requires immediate medical attention.
External links
- thoracic+cavity at eMedicine Dictionary
- chest+wall at eMedicine Dictionary (also known as "thoracic wall")
- thoraxlesson3 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine
The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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