The Manubriosternal Plane

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The pericardium | Main Anatomy Index | Azygos system of veins

Last updated 30 March 2006

The Manubriosternal Plane

Significant structures related to the plane passing through the sternal angle and between T4 and T5 vertebrae

  1. Bifurcation of the trachea.
  2. Ligamentum arteriosus.
  3. The recurrent laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus nerve, loops under the aortic arch on the left side and under the subclavian artery on the right side.
  4. The azygos vein empties into the superior vena cava (arch of azygos vein).
  5. Just inferior to the plane, the pulmonary trunk divides into the left and right pulmonary arteries.
  6. Superior border of fibrous pericardium.
  7. Tracheobronchal lymph nodes.
  8. Deep and superficial cardiac plexuses.
  9. Thoracic duct crosses the oesophagus to the left.
  10. The descending thoracic aorta begins at the inferior border of T4.
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Michael Tam (c) 1998