The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels.

Layers

There are two layers to the pericardial sac: the fibrous pericardium and the serous pericardium. The serous pericardium, in turn, is divided into two layers, the parietal pericardium, which is fused to and inseparable from the fibrous pericardium, and the visceral pericardium, which is part of the epicardium. The epicardium is the layer immediately outside of the heart muscle proper (the myocardium).

In between the parietal and visceral pericardial layers there is a potential space called the pericardial cavity. It is normally lubricated by a film of pericardial fluid. Too much fluid in the cavity (such as in a pericardial effusion) can result in pericardial tamponade, compression of the heart within the pericardial sac.

Diseases/Abnormalities

• Pericarditis resulting in pericardial friction rub
• Pericardial effusion which may lead to cardiac tamponade.

Additional images

<gallery> Image:Gray806.png|The phrenic nerve and its relations with the vagus nerve. Image:Gray846.png|Thoracic portion of the sympathetic trunk. Image:Gray1088.png|Liver with the septum transversum. Human embryo 3 mm. long. Image:Gray1178.png|The thymus of a full-time fetus, exposed in situ. </gallery>

External links

• - "Mediastinum: Pericardium (pericardial sac)"
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