Compartments of the Neck

Question 1

which muscle divides the neck into anterior and posterior/lateral cervical triangles?

Answer 1

sternocleidomastoid

anterior cervical triangle: connects head, neck, thorax
posterior/lateral cervical triangle: connects head, neck, upper limb

Question 2

the R/L vertebral arteries course through the ____ foramina

Answer 2

transverse foramina

Question 3

what is the anatomical landmark for bifurcation of the common carotid artery?

Answer 3

superior border at C4 vertebra

Question 4

what are the 2 membranes around the larynx?

Answer 4

1. thyrohyoid membrane
2. cricothyroid ligament

Question 5

at what vertebral level is the cricoid cartilage?

Answer 5

C6

thyroid cartilage above, first tracheal ring below

Question 6

what are the 3 superficial cervical muscles and their innervation?

Answer 6

1. platysma: via facial nerve (CN VII), tenses neck skin
2. trapezius: via accessory nerve (CN XI), shrug shoulders
3. sternocleidomastoid: via accessory nerve (CN XI), rotate to opposite side

Question 7

what is the cause of torticollis in infants vs adults?

Answer 7

aka wry neck: head tilts towards affected side with face looking away

infants - congenital muscular torticollis: fibrous tissue mass forms in sternocleidomastoid around birth

adults - cervical dystonia/spasmodic torticollis: neurological disease/accident

Question 8

what are the deep cervical muscles?

Answer 8

anterior scalenes - flexion
middle scalenes
posterior scalenes - extension, controlled flexion, dorsal rami

Question 9

how can you test for thoracic outlet syndrome?

Answer 9

turn head to other side and see if there is a diminished pulse

Question 10

what are the hyoid muscles of the neck?

Answer 10

suprahyoids (elevate hyoid) - mylohyoid, digastric, stylohyoid, geniohyoid

infrahyoids (depress hyoid) - sternohyoid, omohyoid, thyrohyoid, sternothyroid

Question 11

the viscera of the neck (thyroid, trachea, esophagus) are surrounded by _____ fascia, while the vertebral columns and muscles are surrounded by _____ fascia

Answer 11

the viscera of the neck (thyroid, trachea, esophagus) are surrounded by PRETRACHEAL fascia, while the vertebral columns and muscles are surrounded by PREVERTEBRAL fascia [note the axillary sheath is an extension of prevertebral fascia]

Question 12

what is contained in the investing fascia of the neck?

Answer 12

surrounds entire neck and encloses the trapezius and SCM (sternocleidomastoid)

forms roof of the cervical triangles

[lies deep to the superficial fascia]

Question 13

which deep cervical fascia surrounds the infrahyoids?

Answer 13

pretracheal muscular fascia

Question 14

the _____ is the posterior part of the pretracheal visceral fascia (which surrounds the thyroid-parathyroid, larynx-trachea, and pharynx-esophagus)

Answer 14

buccopharyngeal fascia

Question 15

which cervical space contains the sympathetic trunk and can facilitate infectious spread?

Answer 15

retropharyngeal space - posterior to the buccopharyngeal fascia

Question 16

what is contained in the carotid sheath? (4)

Answer 16

1. common carotid (medial)
2. internal jugular vein (lateral)
3. vagus nerve (posterior between the vessels)
4. deep cervical lymph nodes

Question 17

match:
a. subclavian artery, common carotid artery
b. anterior triangle, posterior triangle

Answer 17

subclavian artery - posterior triangle, branches supply deep neck/shoulder/brain

common carotid artery - anterior triangle, bifurcates into external/internal carotid at C4

Question 18

where anatomically is the carotid pulse palpated?

Answer 18

common carotid is in anterior triangle, anterior to the SCM border and posterolateral to the larynx

Question 19

where are the following found, and what do they contain?
a. carotid body
b. carotid sinus

Answer 19

a. carotid body - located at common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcation, contains chemoreceptors

b. carotid sinus - located in dilation of wall of internal carotid artery at CCA bifurcation, contains baroreceptors

innervated by CN IX (glossopharyngeal)

Question 20

enlargement of the sentinel nodes of Virchow/Troisier may be evidence of…

Answer 20

aka supraclavicular nodes (lower deep cervical group)

may be evidence of cancer in the abdomen (ex, gastric cancer) that has metastasized through lymphogenous spread