relations
Last reviewed 01/2018
The aorta has the following relations during its course posteriorly and to the left:
- anterior: left brachiocephalic vein superior to thymus and left anterior mediastinal pleura
- left lateral surface, from anterior to posterior:
- left phrenic nerve
- cardiac branches of sympathetic nerve
- left superior intercostal vein
- left vagus nerve
- left posterolateral surface, from anterior to posterior:
- superior vena cava
- trachea
- left recurrent laryngeal nerve in tracheo-oesophageal groove
- oesophagus
- thoracic duct
- inferiorly:
- left recurrent laryngeal nerve
- ligamentum arteriosum
- aortic bodies
- pulmonary trunk and left pulmonary artery
- left principal bronchus
- superior:
- anteriorly, the left brachiocephalic vein
- branches of aortic arch
The relationship of structures to the aortic arch within the superior mediastinum provides one way of systematically dividing this compartment.