SESSION 9 - Pleural Cavity, Lungs, Phrenic And Vagus
(X) Nerves
1. What are the superior and inferior boundaries of the superior mediastinum?
2. Apart from fat, what other structure do you associate with the anterior part of
the inferior mediastinum?
3. Name four structures that lie in the posterior part of the inferior mediastinum.
4. In health, is the pleural cavity a real or potential space?
5. Name the part of each lung around which the visceral layer of pleura becomes
the parietal layer.
6. What could happen to the lung if a cannula is inserted into the pleural cavity?
Could this event occur spontaneously without a cannula?
7. Which rib does the pleural reflection cross in (a) the mid-clavicular line, (b)
the mid-axillary line and (c) posteriorly?
8. Below the sixth rib is the lung higher than the pleural reflection by (a) one rib
space, (b) two rib spaces or (c) 3 rib spaces?
9. The oblique fissure extends from the spine of the T3 vertebra to the 6th rib
anteriorly. What alternative surface marking easily approximates this line?
10. As you inspect the hilum of the lung you would find:
(a) The pulmonary ………… lying anterosuperiorly,
(b) The pulmonary ………… lying more inferiorly and
(c) the bronchi lying more …………….
11. Which one main vessel, one chamber of the heart and one nerve are the
immediate medial relation to the right lung and pleura?
12. Which statements are correct:
(a) The fixed left lung has an impression of the azygos vein just above its
hilum
(b) Parietal pleura over the medial aspect of the right lung has sensory
supply from the right phrenic nerve
(c) The left phrenic nerve carries motor fibres only
(d) Only the right lung has an inferior surface which rests on the
diaphragm
(e) The left lung has three lobes and an additional horizontal fissure
13. What nerve passes through the diaphragm with the inferior vena cava?
14. Where would you look on each side to see the recurrent laryngeal nerve
leaving the vagus?
15. The vagus nerves pass ………….. to the hilum of the lung
The phrenic nerves pass ………….. to the hilum of the lung
16. Does the right vagus pass medial or lateral to the azygos arch?
17. Which statements are correct:
(a) The phrenic nerve is purely a motor nerve
(b) The motor supply of the diaphragm is 90% from the phrenics and 10%
from the intercostal nerves
(c) The phrenic nerves supply sensation to the pleura, pericardium and
diaphragm
(d) The root value of the phrenic nerve is T3,4,5
18. Which bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical?
19. What is the blood supply of the bronchial tree?
20. Which statements are correct:
(a) The pulmonary veins return de-oxygenated blood to the right atrium
(b) The pulmonary arteries arise from the aorta
(c) The majority of venous blood from the bronchi returns via the
pulmonary veins
(d) The left bronchus has usually not divided as it enters the left hilum
21. Each lung has the following number of bronchopulmonary segments - (a) 20,
(b) 14 or (c) 10
22. If you listened with a stethoscope to the lungs posteriorly, medial to the
scapula are you over the upper or lower lobe?
23. Which are the first nodes to receive lymph from the lungs?
24. If a lung tumour destroys the sympathetic chain, what eye signs would be see
on that side?