Mediastinum

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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The mediastinum is the space in the middle of the skin (from Latin: standing in the middle), i.e. the chest space between the two lungs. It extends in front from the sternum to the back of the thoracic spine and above from the neck to the bottom of the diaphragm. With the exception of the lungs, the mediastinum contains the thoracic viscera such as the heart with the pericardium, the lower part of the windpipe and the chest part of the esophagus. Read everything you need to know about the mediastinum!

What is the mediastinum?

The mediastinum is a space of connective tissue that runs vertically in the chest and is also called the middle space in German. In this space are the heart with the pericardium, the part of the esophagus that lies above the diaphragm, the lower part of the trachea with its division into the main bronchi, the thymus gland as well as vessels, nerves and lymph nodes.

What is the function of the mediastinum?

The middle area is considered to be the most important traffic artery for conduction pathways between the head and neck on the one hand and the chest and / or abdomen on the other. These include the trachea and esophagus as well as important nerves and vessels.

Where is the mediastinum located?

The mediastinal space is located in the chest. Laterally it is bounded by the lungs, above by the neck and below by the diaphragm. The front border forms the breastbone (sternum), the rear border the thoracic spine.

Doctors divide the mid-head space into several sections:

• Upper mediastinum (M. superius): extends to the upper edge of the heart and includes, among other things, the thymus gland and the aortic arch.
• Lower mediastinum (M. inferius): starts at the upper edge of the heart and is divided into anterior, middle and posterior sections; the heart is in the middle section.

What problems can arise in the mediastinum?

In the mediastinum, there may be emphysema, an accumulation of air, which is possible, for example, after lung injuries. Thymus or thyroid tumors, connective tissue tumors or cysts narrow the mediastinal space due to their size and can lead to breathing problems. Benign thyroid enlargements also narrow the mediastinal space.

Inflammation from other areas (lung tissue, liver or stomach, but also from the throat) can lead to inflammation in the connective tissue of the mediastinum.

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