mediastinum

American  

[mee-dee-a-stahy-nuhm] / ˌmi di æˈstaɪ nəm /

noun

Anatomy.

• mediastina
  plural

1. a median septum or partition between two parts of an organ, or paired cavities of the body.

2. the partition separating the right and left thoracic cavities, formed of the two inner pleural walls, and, in humans, comprising all the viscera of the thorax except the lungs.

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mediastinum British  

/ ˌmiːdɪəˈstaɪnəm /

noun

1. a membrane between two parts of an organ or cavity such as the pleural tissue between the two lungs

2. the part of the thoracic cavity that lies between the lungs, containing the heart, trachea, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mediastinal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mediastina
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mediastinum

1535–45; < New Latin; compare mediastīnus of middle class, apparently identical with Latin mediast ( r ) īnus a low-ranking slave, perhaps derivative of medius mid ¹, though sense and formation unclear

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mediastinum

Within the mediastinum, the heart is separated from the other mediastinal structures by a tough membrane known as the pericardium, or pericardial sac, and sits in its own space called the pericardial cavity.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The thoracic cavity contains the lungs and the heart, which is located in the mediastinum.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Figure 19.2 Position of the Heart in the Thorax The heart is located within the thoracic cavity, medially between the lungs in the mediastinum.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

As you can see in Figure 23.13, the esophagus runs a mainly straight route through the mediastinum of the thorax.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The middle compartment extends to the base of the skull and passes into the anterior mediastinum as far as the pericardium.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Alexander Miles