5.4 (Cervical Plexus)

Question 1

Location of cervical plexus

Answer 1

Anteromedial to the levator scapulae and middle scalene muscles, and deep to the SCM.

Question 2

Cervical Plexus is made of what nerves?

Answer 2

C1-4

Question 3

Superficial branches (cutaneous) innervate…

Answer 3

Sensory to skin of anterolateral neck, superolateral thoracic wall, and the scalp between the auricle and the external occipital protuberance

Question 4

Deep branches innervate…

Answer 4

Motor

Question 5

Name the superficial branches

Answer 5

1. Lesser occipital nerve (C2)
2. Great auricular nerve (C2-C3)
3. Transverse cervical nerve (C2-C3)
4. Supraclavicular nerve (C3-C4)

Question 6

Lesser occipital nerve functional defecit

Answer 6

Occipital neuralgia – chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head and behind the eyes.
Headache.

Question 7

Lesser occipital nerve function

Answer 7

Supplying the skin of the neck and scalp posterosuperior to the auricle

Question 8

Great auricular nerve function

Answer 8

Provides sensory innervation for skin over parotid gland, mastoid process, and surfaces of the outer ear.

Question 9

Great auricular nerve functional defecit

Answer 9

Numbness and tingling in the skin over parotid gland, mastoid process, and surfaces of the outer ear.

Question 10

Transverse cervical nerve function

Answer 10

Sensory to skin covering the anterior cervical region.

Question 11

Transverse cervical nerve functional defecit

Answer 11

Numbness and tingling of skin covering the anterior cervical region.

Question 12

Supraclavicular nerve function

Answer 12

Sensory to skin of the neck and cross the clavicle to supply the skin over the shoulder

Question 13

Supraclavicular nerve functional defecit

Answer 13

Numbness and tingling of skin of the neck and cross the clavicle to supply the skin over the shoulder

Question 14

Motor Branches

Answer 14

1. Ansa cervicalis nerve (C1-C3)

2. Phrenic nerve (C3-C5)

Question 15

Ansa Cervicalis nerve function

Answer 15

Motor to infrahyoid muscles

Question 16

Ansa cervicalis nerve functional defecit

Answer 16

Difficulty swallowing and speaking

Question 17

Phrenic nerve function

Answer 17

Motor to the diaphragm and pericardium

Question 18

Phrenic nerve functional defecit

Answer 18

Difficulty breathing

Question 19

Branches of Ansa Cervicalis

Answer 19

1. Geniohyoid
2. Thyrohyoid
3. Omohyoid
4. Sternohyoid
5. Sternothyroid

Question 20

Lesser Occipital path

Answer 20

Emerges from the posterior border of the SCM and runs superiorly up border of the SCM just behind the ear.

Question 21

Greater Auricular path

Answer 21

Posterior and parallel to the external jugular vein. Ascends on the superolateral surface of the SCM toward the mandible.

Question 22

Transverse cervical path

Answer 22

Traverses anteriorly across the middle of the SCM toward the anterior triangle of the neck.

Question 23

Supraclavicular path

Answer 23

Emerge posterior to the SCM and descend down towards the clavicle.

Question 24

Ansa Cervicalis path

Answer 24

Runs with the hypoglossal for a little bit, then superficial to the IJV in the carotid sheath.

Question 25

Phrenic path

Answer 25

Located on the anterior surface of the anterior scalene muscle.

Question 26

Cervical sympathetic trunk location

Answer 26

It extends bilaterally along the anterolateral surface of the vertebral column, runs from C1 to C8.

Question 27

3 cervical sympathetic ganglia

Answer 27

Superior, middle, inferior

Question 28

Superior ganglia location

Answer 28

Level of C1 and C2, post synaptic fibers run to the carotid and cardiac plexus.

Question 29

Middle ganglia location

Answer 29

lies just anterior to the vertebral artery near the cricoid cartilage, postsynaptic fibers go to C5 and C6, the heart and thyroid gland.

Question 30

Inferior ganglia location

Answer 30

lies posterior to the vertebral artery, fibers to C7 and C8, and the heart