What is the diaphragm?

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The the diaphragm is called the diaphragm. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon.

Summary

The the diaphragm is called the diaphragm. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon.

What it is

  • A dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon.
  • The chief muscle of respiration.
  • Flattens on contraction, drawing air into the lungs.

Where it is

  • Between the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity.
  • Attached to the lower ribs, sternum, and lumbar vertebrae.
  • Pierced by the esophagus, aorta, and inferior vena cava.

Sources

According to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918, public domain):

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