The right and left vagus nerves descend alongside the esophagus, passing through both the superior and posterior mediastinum.
In the drawing, note the cardiac branches of the sympathetic trunk, which travel alongside the vagus nerve and move anteriorly at the tracheobronchial bifurcation, with the cardiac branches of the vagus nerve.
These nerves are responsible for the autonomic innervation of the heart, regulating heart rate, force of contraction, and cardiac output.
Note: These nerves are too small to be visualized on this model.
Add the ligamentum arteriosum, the remnant of the ductus arteriosus, a fetal circulatory structure.
Add the right and left recurrent layngeal nerves.
The left recurrent laryngeal nerve loops under the aortic arch, just posterior to the ligamentum arteriosum.
The right recurrent laryngeal nerve loops under the right subclavian artery.
