Partial deficiency of the pericardium / by Arthur Keith.

  • Keith, Arthur, Sir, 1866-1955.
Date:
[1907]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Partial deficiency of the pericardium / by Arthur Keith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the root of the left lung (see fig. 1); in front of the foramen, on the pericardium, descended .the phrenic nerve. The opening is clearly a patent pleuro-pericardial foramen. In another foetus, which was the subject of a number of malformations, there was a large deficiency of the pericardium on the left side. On re- moving the sternum and costal cartilages, a strong fibrous membrane was found behind them on which the phrenic nerve descended. This fibrous membrane was found to be the pericardium. In the figure a great part of it is Fig. 2. ^-Thorax of a malformed foetus from which the sternum and cartilages have been removed. The heart and lungs have been exposed by the removal of the anterior wall of the pericardium. 1, Kiglit ventricle ; 2, left ventricle ; 3, pulmonary artery ; 4, aorta; 5, left lung ; 6, phrenic nerve ; 7, upper part of pericardium ; 8, junction of pericardium with pleura at the lower margin of the greatly expanded pleuro-pericardial opening ; 9, liver; 10, stomach. Both of these organs lie in the left pleural cavity, there being a wide pleuro-peritoneal communication. shown as cut away, to expose the heart and half of the left lung which lay behind it. The left margin of the membrane descended in front of the lung and turned backwards at the lower margin (see fig. 2, 8). The greater part of the left pleural cavity was occupied by the liver, stomach, and spleen. It was evident that the condition of parts had been produced by the lung bud growing within and expanding the communication between the pericardium and pleura, for that communication lies immediately ventral to the point at which the lung bud appears. The condition should be described as dilatation of the pleuro-pericardial foramen.