The pericardium (pericardium) is the cavity in the mediastinum, which contains the heart.

It separates the heart from neighboring organs.

It passes into the tunica externa of large vessels (aorta, pulmonary trunk, superior and inferior venae cavae).

The pericardium consists of two connective tissue layers:

1. The external fibrous layer (pericardium fibrosum)

   

2. The internal serous layer (pericardium serosum)

The internal layer consists of two laminae:

– the visceral lamina (lamina visceralis), also called the epicardium, which covers the heart directly

– the parietal lamina (lamina parietalis), which lines the fibrous layer of the pericardium from the inside

Between the visceral and parietal laminae, there is a pericardial cavity (cavitas pericardialis), which contains a small amount of serous fluid. In the area of the base of large vessels, the laminae of the serous pericardium merge together.

The pericardial cavity has the following sinuses:

1. The transverse pericardial sinus (sinus transversus pericardii), which is bounded by the aorta, pulmonary trunk, superior vena cava, and right atrium

   

   

2. The oblique pericardial sinus (sinus obliquus pericardii), which is bounded by the left pulmonary veins, inferior vena cava, and left atrium.

The pericardium is supplied with blood by:

1. the branches of the thoracic aorta (rr. pericardiaci)

   

2. the pericardiaocophrenic artery (a.pericardiacophrenica)

   

3. the branches of the pericardial arteries (rr. pericardiaci)

Venous outflow occurs through:

1. the pericardiacophrenic veins (vv.pericardiacophrenicae)

2. the pericardial veins (vv. pericardiaci)

3. the brachiocephalic vein (v. brachiocephalica)

   

   

4. the azygos vein (v.azygos)

   

   

5. the hemi-azygos vein (v. hemiazygos)

   

   

6. the superior vena cava (v. cava superior)

The lymph outflow from the pericardium is carried out to:

1. lateral pericardial nodes (nodi pericardiaci lateralis)

2. prepericardial nodes (nodi prepericardiales)

3. the anterior and posterior mediastinal lymph nodes (nodi mediastinales anteriores et posteriores)

The pericardium is innervated by:

1. branches of the phrenic nerve (rr. nervus phrenicus)

2. branches of the vagus nerve (rr. nervus vagus)

3. the cervical and pectoral branches of cardiac nerves (rr. cervicalis et pectoralis)

Dictionary

Anatomy of the pericardium

Pericardium

pericardium

Fibrous pericardium

pericardium fibrosum

Serous pericardium

pericardium serosum

Visceral lamina

lamina visceralis

Parietal lamina

lamina parietalis

Pericardial cavity

cavitas pericardialis

Transverse pericardial sinus

sinus transversus pericardii

Oblique pericardial sinus

sinus obliquus pericardii