8 - Scalp and cranial cavity Flashcards
What is the scalp?
- skin and subcutaneous tissue from superior nuchal line of occipital bone to supraorbital margins
- laterally scalp extends over temporal fascia to zygomatic arch
- covers the neurocranium
What is the face?
- anterior aspect of head from forehead to chin, and ear to ear
- covers viscerocranium
What are the different layers of the scalp?
- skin
- dense connective tissue
- epicranial aponeurosis
- loose connective tissue
- pericranium
What is the scalp proper?
- first 3 layers of scalp tissue
- skin, dense connective tissue. epicranial aponeurosis
- move together against the bottom two layers
Describe the skin of the scalp.
- outermost layer
- contains hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands
- thickest over occipital
Describe the dense connective tissue of the scalp.
- subcutaneous layer
- very vascularised (when lacerated, bleeds profusely)
- cutaneous nerves
Describe the epicranial aponeurosis.
- epicranius
- tendon and muscle layer of scalp called the occipitofrontalis
- prevents superficial lacerations from gaping open (when this layer is lacerated, these wounds gape)
What is the action of the occipitofrontalis?
Frontal belly - wrinkles forehead
Occipital belly - smoothes forehead
Describe the loose connective tissue of the scalp.
- loose areolar (“packing”) tissue
- allows movement of outer layers (scalp proper)
- described as spongy
- contains spaces that could be susceptible to infection
Describe the pericranium of the scalp.
- external periosteum of skull
- firmly attached and continuous with sutures (forms fibrous joints)
What is the danger area of the scalp?
- between the aponeurosis and pericranium there can be potential spaces for fluid accumulation or spread of infection
- infection can spread to eyelids or the root of the nose
- infection spreads forward as the occipitofrontalis inserts into soft tissue instead of bone
- infection spread via emissary veins
Describe the innervation of the scalp.
- cutaneous innervation is by the trigeminal (CN V) and cervical nerves C2 and C3
- aponeurosis is supplied by the facial (CN VII)
What are the branches of CN V1 and what area of the scalp/face do they innervate?
- supraorbital
- supratrochlear
- infratrochlear
- external nasal
- lacrimal
- forehead to external corner of the eye, to the tip of the nose
What are the branches of CN V2 and what area of the scalp/face do they innervate?
- zygomaticofacial
- zygomaticotemporal
- infraorbital
- temples, anterior portion of the cheekbones, upper lip, Ala of the nose
What are the sensory branches of CN V3 and what area of the scalp/face do they innervate?
- buccal
- mental
- auriculotemporal
- temporal fossa, anterior half of the ear, posterior portion of the cheekbones, lower lip, chin
What are the branches of C2 and what area of the scalp do they innervate?
- greater occipital
- vertex -> superior nuchal line,
What are the branches of C3 and what area of the scalp do they innervate?
- third occipital
- back of the neck, inferior to superior nuchal line
What are the branches of the cervical plexus and what area of the scalp do they innervate?
- great auricular
- lesser occipital
- posterior half of the ear, angle of the mandible, lateral side of the neck
What is the arterial supply of the scalp?
Anterior - ICA
Lateral - ECA
Posterior - ECA
What are the branches of the ICA that supply the scalp?
- supraorbital
- supratrochlear