"Parasympathetic cardiac nerves reach the heart from the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) via several cardiac nerves. An upper cardiac nerve arises below the inferior cervical ganglion and a lower branch arises in the root of the neck. The nerves descend anterior to the brachiocephalic artery on the right and over the aortic arch on the left."
"Sympathetic cardiac nerves are derived from T1 to T4 segments and partly from the T5 segment of the spinal cord."
"a superficial component inferior to the aortic arch"
"a deep component posterior to the aortic arch"
"The superficial part of the cardiac plexus lies beneath the aortic arch and anterior to the right pulmonary artery. It is formed by the superior cervical cardiac branch of the left sympathetic trunk and the lower superior cervical cardiac branch of the left vagus trunk. A small ganglion, the cardiac ganglion of Wrisberg, is occasionally found that forms a junction for these nerves."
Expected headings
"Superficial cardiac plexus"
"Deep cardiac plexus"
"Coronary plexuses"
"The deep part of the cardiac plexus is located posterior to the aortic arch and anterior of the tracheal bifurcation (carina) above the point of division of the pulmonary trunk. It is formed by the cardiac nerves derived from the superior, middle and inferior cervical ganglia of the sympathetic trunk and the cardiac branches of the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves except those that supply the superficial cardiac plexus."