Diaphragm

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Diaphragmatic Hernia

Origin

  • Sternal Part
    • small rigth and left slips arising from posterior surface xiphoid process
  • Costal part
    • six slips arise from deep surfaces of lower six ribs and their costal cartilages
  • vertebral part
    • crura
      • right crus
        • arises from sides of bodies of L1-L3
        • some fibres pass to left around oesophagus
      • left crus
        • arises from sides of bodies of L1,L2
    • arcuate ligaments
      • medial
        • thickened upper margin of fascia over psoas muscle
        • from side of body of L2 to tip of transverse process L1
      • lateral 
        • thickened upper margin of fasica over quadratus lumborum
        • from transverse process L1 to lower border 12th rib
      • median
        • connects medial borders of both crura
        • crosses anterior to aorta

Insertion

  • central tendon
    • superior surface partially fused with fibrous pericardium

Orifices

  • vena cava at T8
    • + terminal branches of right phrenic nerve
  • oesophagus at T10 (through right crus)
    • also with vagus nerves
    • oseophageal branches of left gastric vessels
    • lymphatics of lower 1/3 of oesophagus
  • aorta at T12 (posterior to median arcuate ligament)
    • also with azygos vein and thoracic duct

Other orifices

  • greater, lesser and least splanchnic nerves pierce crura
  • sympathetic trunks pass posterior to medial arcuate ligament
  • superior epigastric vessels pass between sternal and costal origins
  • left phrenic nerve peirces left dome
  • neurovascular bundles of 7th to 11th intercostal spaces pass between muscular slips of costal origin

Action

  • on contraction central tendon pulled down
    • increases vertical diameter of thorax

Nerve supply

  • Phrenic nerve
    • C3,4,5
  • some sensory supply to periphery from lower 6 intercostal nerves

Functions

  • inspiration
  • abdominal straining
  • weight-lifting
  • thoraco-abdominal pump
 

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