Anatomy study note · Thorax

Sympathetic trunk

The thoracic sympathetic trunk runs down on the heads of the ribs as the most lateral structure in the posterior mediastinum, with 11–12 segmental ganglia.

Key points

• Lies on the heads of the ribs; leaves behind the medial arcuate ligament.
• Stellate ganglion = 1st thoracic + inferior cervical.
• Greater splanchnic T5–9, lesser T10–11, least T12.
• White rami in (preganglionic), grey rami out (postganglionic).
• Preganglionic: lateral horn T1–L2. Ganglia: neural crest.
• Sympathetic: thoracolumbar (T1–L2) outflow.
• Autonomic ganglia have synapses.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Course · Branches · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 5, PDF pp. 654–656
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 17, PDF pp. 312, 345–346
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 9, PDF pp. 163–166, 166, 168, 171–172

More from the thorax

• Thymus
• Trachea
• Tricuspid valve
• Vagus nerve
• Aortic valve
• Arch of aorta
• Ascending aorta
• Azygos vein
• Brachiocephalic artery
• Brachiocephalic veins
• Bronchopulmonary segments
• Coronary sinus and cardiac veins

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