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

In contrast, the parietal pleura is the outer layer that connects to the thoracic wall, the mediastinum, and the diaphragm.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The lungs are enclosed by the pleurae, which are attached to the mediastinum.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The right and left pleurae, which enclose the right and left lungs, respectively, are separated by the mediastinum.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Each pericardial artery supplies blood to the pericardium, the esophageal artery provides blood to the esophagus, and the mediastinal artery provides blood to the mediastinum.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Rupture of the cervical esophagus is usually followed by cervical emphysema and cervical abscess, both of which often burrow into the mediastinum along the fascial layers of the neck.

From Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy A Manual of Peroral Endoscopy and Laryngeal Surgery by Jackson, Chevalier