Exam 4 Triangles of the Neck Flashcards
What are the bony and cartilaginous landmarks of the neck and what vertebral levels are they at?
- Atlas: C1
- Hyoid bone: C3
- Thyroid cartilage: C4/5
- Cricoid cartilage
- Tracheal rings
- Jugular notch: T2
Anterior cervical triangle
- Boundaries
- Superior border: Inferior margin of mandible
- Inferior border: Jugular notch
- Medial border: Anteriomedian line of neck
- Lateral border: Anterior margin of sternocleidomastoid
- Anterior border (roof): Platysma and investing layer of deep cervical fascia
Subtriangles of Anterior Cervical Triangle
- Boundaries of each triangle
- Contents of each triangle
- Triangles:
- Muscular triangle
- Carotid triangle
- Submandibular triangle
- Submental triangle
- Muscular triangle:
- Boundaries: Superior belly of omohyoid
- Inferomedial edge of sternocleidomastoid
- Anterior medial line of neck
- Hyoid bone
- Contents: Infrahyoid muscles
- Thyroid gland
- Contains NO vessels (except to thyroid)
- Boundaries: Superior belly of omohyoid
- Carotid triangle:
- Boundaries: Posterior belly of digastric m
- Superior belly of omohyoid
- Superiomedial margin of sternocleidomastoid
- Contents: Common carotid a
- Carotid sinus
- Internal jugular v
- CN X and CN XII
- Boundaries: Posterior belly of digastric m
- Submandibular triangle:
- Boundaries: mandible
- 2 bellies of digastric m
- Contents: Submandibular gland
- Facial a
- Facial v
- Boundaries: mandible
- Submental (suprahyoid) triangle:
- Boundaries: Anteriomedial line of neck
- Anterior belly of digastric m
- Hyoid bone
- Contents: Lymph nodes
- Boundaries: Anteriomedial line of neck

Sternocleidomastoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Manubrium and medial 1/3 of clavicle
- Distal Attachment: Mastoid process and lateral 1/2 of superior nuchal line
- Action: Singly turns face toward opposite side of contraction; Together flex head and raise thorax
- Innervation: Spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)

Torticollis (wryneck)
- What is it?
- What causes it?
- Symptoms?
- Contracted state of cervical muscles, especially sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Caused by injury to sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle (unilateral SCM fibrosis) or avulsion of CN XI at birth
- Congential torticollis caused by SCM fibrosis resulting in no lengthening during development
- Symptoms:
- Twisting of neck and protrusion of chin to side opposite of lesion/contracture

Digastric muscle
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment:
- Anterior belly: Digastric fossa of mandible
- Posterior belly: Mastoid notch
- Distal Attachment: Intermediate tendon attached to body of hyoid
- Action: Elevates hyoid and depresses mandible
- Innervation:
- Anterior belly: Nerve to mylohyoid (CN V3)
- Posterior belly: Facial nerve (CN VII)

Mylohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Mylohyoid groove of mandible
- Distal Attachment: Median raphe and body of hyoid bone
- Action: Elevates hyoid and depresses mandible
- Innervation: Nerve to mylohyoid (CN V3)

Stylohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Styloid process
- Distal Attachment: Body of hyoid
- Action: Elevates hyoid
- Innervation: Facial nerve (CN VII)

Geniohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Genial tubercle of mandible
- Distal Attachment: Body of hyoid
- Action: Elevates hyoid and tongue
- Innervation: C1 via hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Thyrohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Oblique line of thyroid cartilage
- Distal Attachment: Body and greater horn of hyoid
- Action: Depresses and retracts hyoid and larynx
- Innervation: C1 via hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Omohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Intermediate tendon
- Distal Attachment: Body of hyoid
- Action: Depresses and retracts hyoid and larynx
- Innervation: Ansa cervicalis

Sternohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Manubrium and medial end of clavicle
- Distal Attachment: Body of hyoid
- Action: Depresses hyoid and larynx
- Innervation: Ansa cervicalis

Sternothyroid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Manubrium and 1st costal cartilage
- Distal Attachment: Oblique line of thyroid cartilage
- Action: Depresses thyroid cartilage and larynx
- Innervation: Ansa cervicalis

Carotid Sinus
- What is it?
- Where is it located?
- What does it contain?
- Innervation
- Dilation in proximal portion of internal carotid artery
- Located just distal to bifurcation
- Contains pressure receptors activated by changes in BP
- Innervated by cartoid sinus branch of CN IX
Carotid Sinus Hypersensitivity
- Symptoms
- Cause
- Symptoms: Dizziness and maybe falling
- Can be caused by taking carotid pulse, head turning, garments with tight collars
Carotid Body
- What is it?
- Where is it located?
- What does it contain?
- Innervation
- Ovoid body consisting of cells of neural crest origin
- Location: Rests on bifurcation of common carotid artery
- Contains chemoreceptors that sense pH, O2, and CO2 levels
- Innervated by CN X; highly vascularized
Branches of external carotid artery (8)

- Superior thyroid: Arises below level of greater horn of hyoid bone
- Lingual: Arises at level of tip of greater horn of hyoid bone
- Facial: Above lingual artery; ascends forward, deep to posterior belly of digastric m
- Ascending pharyngeal: From posterior surface; ascends between internal carotid a and wall of pharynx
- Occipital: From posterior surface above hyoid bone
- Posterior auricular: From posterior surface above posterior belly of digastric
- Maxillary (terminal branch): Arises behind neck of mandible; larger terminal branch
- Superficial temporal (terminal branch): Arises behind neck of mandible; smaller terminal branch
Retromandibular vein
- What forms it?
- What do its branches join?
- What do these branches drain into?
- Retromandibular vein
- Formed by superficial temporal and maxillary vv
- Anterior branch of retromandibular vein
- Joins facial v to form common facial v
- Empties into internal jugular v
- Posterior branch of retromandibular vein
- Joins posterior auricular v
- Forms external jugular v

External juglar vein
- What drains into it?
- What does it drain into?
- Suprascapular v, transverse cervical v, and anterior jugular v drain into it.
- Drains into subclavian vein OR internal jugular v

Internal jugular venipuncture
- Which jugular vein is used?
- How is the vein accessed?
- Right internal juglar vein
- Punctured by aiming at apex of triangle between sternal and clavicular heads of SCM
- What nerve gives off motor innervation to anterior cervical triangle?
- What spinal levels does it arise from?
- What are its branches?
- Ansa cervicalis: Formed by superior root of C1 and/or C2 and inferior root of C2/3
- Branches:
- Nerve to omohyoid (superior belly)
- Nerve to sternothyroid
- Nerve to sternohyoid
- Nerve to omohyoid (inferior belly)

- What nerves give of sensory fibers in the anterior cervical triangle?
- What spinal levels do they arise from?
- What do they supply?
- Great auricular (C2-C3): Supplies inferior aspect around ear
- Transverse cervical (C2-C3): Supplies anterior skin of neck
- Supraclavicular (C3-C4): Supplies skin above clavicle

Lymphatics of anterior and posterior cervical triangles
- Where are lymph nodes located?
- What do they drain into?
- What trunks drain into thoracic duct or right lymphatic duct?
- Superficial nodes of head: Located near ear
- Drain into occipital, retroauricular, submandibular, and superficial cervical nodes
- Superficial cervical nodes: Lie along anterior jugular v
- Superficial cervical nodes and nodes of head drain into superior or inferior deep cervical nodes
- Superior/Inferior deep cervical nodes:
- Superior: located along internal jugular v in carotid triangle
- Inferior: Located on internal jugular v near subclavian v
- Superior/Inferior cervical nodes drain into:
- On left side: Thoracic duct
- On right side: Right lymphatic duct
- Drain into these ducts via:
- Left/Right jugular trunk
- Left/Right subclavian trunk
- Thoracic/Right lymphatic duct entering left/right subclavian vein
- Left/Right bronchomediastinal trunk

Posterior cervical triangle
- Boundaries
- Subtriangles
- Anterior border: Posterior margin of SCM
- Posterior border: Anterior margin of trapezius
- Inferior border: Middle 1/3 of clavicle
- Roof: Platysma and investing layer of deep cervical fascia
- Floor: Splenius capitus, levator scapulae, and scalenius mm
- Subtriangles: Occipital triangle, Supraclavicular triangle

Splenius capitus muscle
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Spinous process of C7-T3
- Distal Attachment: Mastoid process, superior nuchal line
- Action: Extends neck and head
- Innervation: Dorsal rami of C2-C6

Levator scapulae
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Transverse process of C1-C4
- Distal Attachment: Medial border of scapula
- Action: Elevates scapula
- Innervation: Nerves to levator scapulae (C3/4), dorsal scapular nerve

Scalenus Anterior
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Transverse processes of C3-C6
- Distal Attachment: Scalene tubercle of first rib
- Action: Elevates first rib, bends neck
- Innervation: C5-C8

Scalenus medius
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Transverse processes of C2-C7
- Distal Attachment: Upper surface of first rib
- Action: Elevates first rib, bends neck
- Innervation: C5-C8

Scalenus posterior
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Transverse processes of C4-C6
- Distal Attachment: Outer surface of second rib
- Action: Elevates second rib, bends neck
- Innervation: C6-C8

Inferior belly of Omohyoid
- Proximal Attachment
- Distal Attachment
- Action
- Innervation
- Proximal Attachment: Medial lip of suprascapular notch
- Distal Attachment: Intermediate tendon
- Action: Depresses and retracts hyoid/larynx
- Innervation: Ansa cervicalis

What are the arteries found in the posterior cervical triangle?
- Subclavian (red): gives rise to thyrocervical trunk (green)
- Suprascalene (purple): 1st branch from thyrocervical trunk; passes in front of ant. scalene
- Transvere cervical (orange): 2nd branch for thyrocervical trunk; passes in front of phrenic n on ant. scalene; dives deep to trapezius m.

What are the veins of the posterior cervical triangle?
- External jugular vein
- Transverse cervical vein
- Suprascapular vein

What are the motor nerves found within the posterior cervical triangle?
What do they supply?
- Spinal accessory nerve (CN XI): Innervates trapezius and SCM
- Dorsal scapular nerve (from C5 root of brachial plexus): Emerges from behind anterior scalene; Innervates levator scapulae
- Long thoracic nerve (from C5-7 roots of brachial plexus): Pierces through middle scalene to innervate lateral thoracic muscle
- What are the sensory nerves found within the posterior cervical triangle?
- What spinal levels do they arise from?
- What do they supply?
- Lesser occipital nerve (C2): Supplies scalp behind auricle
- Supraclavicular nerve (C2-3): Supplies skin over clavicle and shoulder

Danger area (nerve point) of the neck
- What is it?
- Why is it clinically relevant?
- Area susceptible to injury due to superficial location of multiple cutaneous nerves
- Clinically important for cervical nerve block for local anesthesia
Cervical/Supraclavicular plexus block
- How would you achieve regional cutaneous anesthesia through this?
- How would you provide anesthesia to the upper limb?
- By injecting agent into nerve point of neck (posterior margin of SCM, approx. at superior and middle 1/3 of muscle)
- By injecting agent into the supraclavicular portion of brachial plexus (at superior to midpoint of clavicle)