24.11 Anat: Anatomy of the neck Flashcards
What are the 4 compartments of the neck?
Superficial fascia (with platysma)
Visceral
Vascular (carotid sheath)
Vertebral
What veins drain the superficial structures of the neck?
EJV, AJV
What are the 4 layers of fascia in the neck?
Prevertebral fascia
Buccopharyngeal fascia
Pretracheal fascia
Investing fascia (deep)
What muscles does the investing layer of fascia enclose?
Anteriorly: SCM
Posteriorly: Trapezius
What structures does the visceral compartment contain?
Thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, trachea and oesophagus
Where does the pretracheal fascia extend to/from?
What does this mean when swallowing?
From the hyoid bone then down to blend with the pericardium
Moves up and down when swallowing
What is the clinical significance of these compartments with regards to infection?
The spaces in between the compartments communicate with the mediastinum and can allow infection to pass spread through these spaces.
What are the anterior vertebral/strap muscles? What layers do they lie in?
Suprahyoid and infrahyoid
Lie between investing/pretracheal fascia
What do the strap muscles do?
Steady/move hyoid bone and larynx
What are the strap muscles innervated by?
Anterior rami of cervical nerves
At what level does does the common carotid artery run to? What happens to it?
CCA: to C3/C4 (upper border of thyroid cartilage)
Then splits into external/internal carotid
What does the ICA contain?
Carotid sinus (baroreceptors), carotid body (chemoreceptors)
No branches in neck
Where do branches from the ECA head? What are they?
3 in front (superior thyroid, lingual, facial)
2 from behind (posterior auricular, occipital artery)
1 deep (ascending pharyngeal)
Where is the thyroid gland located?
Between upper border of thyroid cartilage above, 6th tracheal ring below
(isthmus: between 2nd/3rd tracheal rings)
What is the thyroid gland enclosed by?
Pretracheal fascia
What do we have to worry about in thyrocricoidectomies?
Damaging the recurrent laryngeal nerves
What arteries supply the thyroid?
Paired superior thryoid (ECA)
Paired inferior thryoid (SCA)
10% have single thyroid IMA along isthmus
What veins drain the thyroid?
Superior, middle, inferior
How does the thyroid develop? What marks its origin? What marks its descent?
Outgrowth from larynx, descends downwards (foramen caecum marks origin)
Thyroglossal duct marks descent but usually vanishes
How many segments do deep muscles of the neck/back usually pass across?
5-7 (pre/post vertebral muscles pass almost vertically across)
What could be damaged if there is palsy when shoulder shrugging?
Accessory nerve, palsy on affected side
What is the cervical plexus formed by?
Nerve loops from ventral rami of C1-C4
What is the motor strap muscle innervation?
Ansa cervicalis
What node drains the palatine tonsils?
Jugulodigastric node
