Trachea

10 cm long
Begins at lower border of cricoid cartilage opposite 6 th cervical vertebra
Ends at lower border of 4th thoracic vertebra where it divides into right and
left principal bronchi just to the right median plane
Descends exactly in median plane, its upper

Trachea and major bronchi of lungs

Relations of trachea
Anteriorly, posteriorly, on each side
Relations in the chest
-

Superior mediastinum
Anterior : manubrium sterni, remains of thymus gkand, left brachiocephalic
vein, arch of aorta
Posterior : esophagus, left recurrent laryngeal nerve
Right side : right vague nerve

Right principal bronchus

Course and relations
-

Passes to right behind right pulmonary artery, having only one bronchial
artery on its posterior surface
The azygos vein arches above its origin to enter SVC
Differs from left bronchus in being wider and shorter, more in line with
trachea

Divisions
-

Divides before reaching hilus of right lunginto right superior lobar bronchus
and right inferior lobar bronchus

Left principal bronchus

Oesophagus
-

25 cm long
Double the length of trachea
Begins at level or cricoid cartilage as continuation of lower end of pharynx
Descends in median plane in front of vertebral column then deviates to left at
level of 7th thoracic vertebra where it crosses in front of desdending aorta
Enters abdomen by piercing the right crus of diaphragm, opposite 10 th
thoracic vertebra then rapidly ends at cardiac orifice of stomach at level of
11th thoracic vertebra

Relations in neck
Anteriorly : trachea, recurrent laryngeal nerve
Posterior : vertebral column
Each side : common carotid artery,lobe of thyroid gland
Relations in chest
Anteriorly, posteriorly : right post intercstal arteries, thoracic duct, azygis vein,
terminal oarts of 2 hemiazgous vein, descending aorta, , left subclavian artery
Esophageal arteries arises from
-

Inferior thyroid artery to cervical part

Descending thoracic aorta to thoracic part
Left gastric artery to abdominal part
Inferior phrenic artery to abdominal part

Venous drainage
-

Cervical part : to inferior thyroid veins, to left brachioceg=halic veins

Thoracic part : to azygous vein then to SVC
Abdominal prt :

Vagus nerve
course and relations
-

Descends downwards and backwards onside of trachea

Passes behind root of lungm=, where it breaks up into several branches that
join symohatetic branches from 2nd, 3rd and 4th ganglion to form posterior
pulmonary plexus and sends twigs to anterior pulmonary plexus
From posterior pulmonary plexus 2-3 branches descends around esophagus
to form esophageal plexus from both vagi
From lower end of esophageal plexus form anterior vagal trunk and posterior
vagal trunk descend on corresponding surfaces of abdominal part of
esophagus

Phrenic nerve
Course and relation
-

Formed in neck from anterior primary rami of 3th, 4 th and 5th cranial nerve,
mainly 4th
Descends on anterior surface of scalenus anterior muscle crossing muscle
from lateral to medial deep to sternomastoid muscle
Carry motor and sensory fibers
Motor : diapraghm

Sensory : pericardium and parital pleura

Relations of right phrenic nerve

-

Descends in right side of right brachiocephalic vein, SVC and IVC, pericardium
covering right atrium
Passes through opening of IVC in diapraghm to supply abdominal surface in
right side
It is accompanied by right pericardiaco-phrenic artery

Relations of left phrenic nerve

-

Descends on left side of left subclavian and left common carotid arteries
Arch of aorta
Left ventricle separated by pericardium
Pierces substance of diapraghm to supply it from its abdominal surface in left
side
Accompanied by left paricardiaco-phrenic artery
Covered laterally by left pleura nad lung

Appliedanatomy
-

Irritation of diapraghm referredpain is felt at cutaneous areas supplied by

same spinal segments of phrenic nerve
Found at tip of shoulder

Thoracic duct