Pericardium: anatomy, sinuses and applied anatomy

• Pericardium: fibroserous sac enclosing the heart and roots of the great vessels, in the middle mediastinum from T5 to T8 vertebral level.
• Functions: restricts excessive cardiac movement, forms a lubricated container for cardiac contraction and relaxation, and limits cardiac distension.

Layers of the Pericardium

• Two components: outer single-layered fibrous pericardium; inner double-layered serous pericardium.
• Serous pericardium:
  • outer parietal layer lines the fibrous pericardium
  • inner visceral layer (epicardium) is adherent to the heart
  • pericardial cavity is the space between them

Differences between parietal and visceral pericardium