Head and Neck Flashcards
State the innervation of the facial muscles
- Facial Nerve (CN VII) supplies the majority of facial muscles
- Trigeminal Nerve (CN V) supplies the muscles of mastication
Describe the arterial supply to the face
- Branches of external carotid artery
- Main artery is facial artery
- Compress both arteries when lacerated as there are many anastamoses
Describe the venous drainage of the face
- Facial vein drains into internal jugular vein
- Superficial temporal and maxillary drains into external jugular vein
- Both drain into subclavian vein
Describe the layers of the deep cervical fascia of the neck
- Investing layer - surrounds whole neck
- Encloses sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
- Pretracheal layer
- Encloses infrahyoid muscles
- Encloses trachea, oesophagus and thyroid gland
- Prevertebral layer
- Encloses vertebrae and associated muscles
What are the functions of the deep cervical fascia?
- Support
- Limit the spread of abscesses
- Allows fluidity of structures in the neck - move over one another
- Swallowing
- Turning the head and neck
What structures does the carotid sheath contain?
- Common carotid artery
- Internal jugular vein
- Vagus nerve (CN X)
Describe the main routes of spread of infection through the neck
- Retropharyngeal space between prevertebral fascia and pharynx fascia
- Runs to diaphragm
- Parapharyngeal space - adjacent to carotid sheath
- More common due to tonsilitis
- Runs to mediastinum
State the borders of the anterior triangle of the neck
- Roof = Superficial cervical fascia
- Floor = Pharynx, larynx, thyroid gland
- Inferior = jugular notch of manubrium
- Superior = Inferior mandible
- Medial = Midline
- Lateral = Anterior sternocleidomastoid
How is the anterior triangle subdivided? What are their main contents?
- Submandibular (digastric) triangle
- Submandibular gland
- Submental triangle
- Carotid triangle
- Carotid sheath
- Thyroid gland
- Pharynx and larynx
- External carotid artery
- Muscular (omotracheal) triangle
- Sternothyroid, sternohyoid, thyroid, parathyroid muscles
What are the borders of the posterior traingle of the neck?
- Roof = Investing layer fascia
- Floor = Muscles covered by prevertebral layer
- Superior = Where SCM and trapezium meet (superior nuchal line of occipital bone)
- Inferior = Middle third of clavicle
- Anterior = Posterior sternocleidomastoid
- Posterior = Anterior trapezius
List the suprahyoid muscles and describe their function
- Mylohyoid
- Geniohyoid
- Digastric
- Stylohyoid
Elevate hyoid and larynx during swallowing
Consitute the floor of the mouth
List the infrahyoid muscles and describe their function
- Sternohyoid (superficial)
- Omohyoid (superficial)
- Sternothyroid (deep)
- Thyrohyoid (deep)
Anchor the hyoid, sternum, clavicle and scapula
Depress the hyoid and larynx during swallowing
What is the carotid sinus and why is it clinically relevant?
- The dilation of the internal carotid artery after the carotid bifurcation at superior thyroid cartilage (C4)
- It contains the baroreceptors that detect changes in arterial blood pressure by detecting stretch
- Can be used to treat Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia (SVT) by gentle rubbing - carotid massage
What is the carotid body?
The location of the peripheral chemoreceptors which detect changes in arterial pO2
It is located at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery at the superior thyroid cartilage (C4)
Why can atheromas in the common carotid artery be dangerous?
- The bifurcation is a common site of atheromas
- Rupture of the clot can cause an emboli that travels to the brain to cause a TIA or stroke
Describe the main arterial supply of the neck
- No branches of common carotid or internal carotid in neck
- Subclavian artery gives rise to thryocervical trunk
- Ascending cervical
- Inferior thyroid
- External carotid gives rise to:
- Superior thyroid
- Ascending pharyngeal
List the branches of the external carotid artery
- Stop - Superior thyroid
- Alcohol - Ascending laryngeal
- Late - Lingual
- Friday - Facial
- Or - Occipital
- Puke - Posterior auricular
- More - Maxillary
- Saturday - Superficial temporal
Describe the vertebral arteries
- Arise from subclavian arteries
- Ascend through the transverse foramen of cervical vertebrae 6 to 1
- Supplies the brain (with the internal carotid artery)
Describe the arterial supply to the scalp
- Internal carotid
- Supra-orbital
- Supra-trochlear
- External carotid
- Superficial temporal
- Posterior auricular
- Occipital
Lies within the dense connective tissue
Describe the blood supply to the dura and skull
- Middle meningeal artery (branch of maxillary)
- Posterior and anterior branches
- Fracture at the pterion can rupture the anterior branch to cause an extradural haemorrhage
List the superficial arteries of the face
- Facial artery - supplies mandible
- Superior and inferior labial - supplies lips
- Lateral nasal - nose
- Angular - angle of eye
- Transverse facial
- Maxillary
- Supratrochlear
- Supraorbital
Describe the venous drainage of the scalp
- Superficial temporal, posterior auricular and occipital accompany corresponding arteries
- Supraorbital + supratrochlear → angular vein → facial vein
- Internal jugular vein
What are the dural venous sinuses?
- Enothelium-lined spaces between periosteal and meningeal layers of dura that receive blood from veins of the brain
- Drain into internal jugular vein
- Cause of spread of infection from the scalp to the meninges
- E.g. Transverse, sigmoid, cavernous, superior sagittal
Describe the venous drainage of the face
- Supraorbital, supratrochlear, angular, superior/inferior labial
- Drains into common facial vein
- Drains into internal jugular vein
How do you measure JVP?
- Via internal jugular vein
- Direct communication with right atrium
- Through sternocleidomastoid
- Patient at 45º
- Measure height from sternal angle + 5 cm
What isthe lymphatic system?
A series of vessels and lymphoid organs that drain tissue fluid from the extracellular compartment to the venous system. It is driven by breathing and muscle contraction and is a low pressure system
What is the functions of the lymphatic system?
- Return of plasma proteins from extracellular space
- Immunological function for the body
- Absorbs/transports fats from the digestive system
- Regulate fluid balance of the body
List the main regional/superficial lymph nodes of the head and neck
- Occipital
- Post-auricular
- Pre-auricular
- Parotid
- Submandibular
- Submental
- Superficial cervical
- Along external jugular vein
- Anterior/posterior cervical chain
List the main terminal/deep lymph nodes of the head and neck
- Deep cervical
- Follows course of internal jugular vein
- Jugulo-digastric (tonsillar)
- Jugulo-omohyoid (lingual)
- Supraclavicular
- Including Virchow’s node on the left, associated with gastric cancer
Describe the lymphatic ducts of the body
- Right lymphatic duct
- Drains the right upper qudrant of body
- Enters venous system via right venous angle (union of r. internal jugular and r. subclavian)
- Thoracic duct
- Drains the rest of the body
- Enters venous system via left venous angle (union of l. internal jgular and l. subclavian)
- Crosses from right to left at T5 (sternal angle)
What are the pharyngeal arches?
A system of mesenchymal ridges that form in the lateral walls of the embryonic pharynx
- Covered by ectoderm externally and endoderm internally
- 5 in total (1-4 and 6)
- Each arch has an associated artery, nerve and cartilage bar
- They lie inferior to frontonasal prominence which overlies the developing brain
Describe the devlopment and basic structure of the neural tube
- Forms in week 3
- Notochord signals overlying ectoderm to thicken to from neurectoderm
- Edges curl towards each other to create the tube
- Anterior end forms the brain
- Forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain
- Mid and hindbrain give rise to all cranial nerves (apart from CNI and II)
Describe the formation of the facial skeleton
Derived from frontonasal prominence and 1st pharyngeal arch
List the muscle derivatives of the pharyngeal arches
- 1st = mastication muscles
- 2nd = muscles of facial expression
- 3rd = stylopharyngeus
- 4th = cricothyroid, levator palantine and pharynx constrictors
- 6th = intrinsic muscles of larynx
Describe the cartilage derivatives of the pharyngeal arches
- 1st = Meckel’s cartilage
- Template for mandible and malleus and incus of middle ear
- 2nd = Reichart’s
- Stapes of middle ear, styloid process, hyoid bone
- 3rd = hyoid bone
- 4th = epiglottis
- 4th-6th = cartilage of larynx
List the branchial arch derivatives
- 1st and 2nd = arteries regress
- 3rd = internal carotids
- 4th = arch of Aorta (L) and braciocephalic (R)
- 6th = pulmonary arch
List the cranial nerves of the pharyngeal arches and their sensory and motor functions
- 1st = CN V (trigeminal)
- Sensory - skin of face
- Motor - muscles of mastication
- 2nd = CN VII (facial)
- Sensory - taste buds in anterior 2/3rds of tongue
- Motor - muscles of facial expression
- 3rd = CN IX (glossopharyngeal)
- Sensory - posterior 1/3rd of tongue
- Motor - stylopharyngeus
Describe what happens to the pharyngeal pouches
- 1st = Eustachian tube and tympanic cavity
- Connects middle ear to pharynx
- 2nd = proliferates and colonised by lymphoid precursors to become the palatine tonsil
- 3rd and 4th pouch divide into dorsal and ventral
- Dorsal of 3rd and 4th = parathyroid gland
- Ventral of 3rd = thymus
Describe what happens to the pharyngeal clefts
- 1st cleft remains
- 2nd arch grows down and obliterates remaining clefts
- Cysts or fistulae can occur if cervical sinus isn’t obliterated properly
- Occur along anterior border of sternocleidomastoid
Name the cranial nerves and whether they are sensory, motor or both
Describe CN I including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Olfactory
- Sensory
- Sense of smell - supplies left and right nasal cavities
- Damaged in fractures of cribiform plate of ethmoid bone
- Trauma causes anosmia
- Test using specific odours
Describe CN II including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Optic
- Sensory
- Sense of vision
- Damaged in direct trauma to eye, fracture to optic canal or pressure on optic nerve pathway
- Trauma causes loss of pupillary constriction and visual fields
- Test using Snellen plates, Ishihara plates and fundoscopy
Describe CN III including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Oculomotor
- Mixed
- Motor - all extraocular muscles (except LR6 and SO4) ciliary muscles and sphincter pupillae
- Sensory (parasympathetic) - constrictor pupillae
- Damaged by fractures of cavernous sinus or aneurysms
- Trauma causes dilated pupil, ptosis and ‘down and out’ eye due to unooposed action of lateral rectus and superior oblique
- Test using H test and eye torch
Describe CN IV including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Trochlear
- Motor - superior oblique
- Damaged in orbit fractures
- Causes inability to look down when eye is adducted
- Tested with H test
Describe CN V including function, test and consequences of trauma
- Trigeminal
- Mixed
- Opthalmic - sensory sensation of scalp, forehead, upper eylid, dorsum of nose
- Maxillary - sensory sensation of lower eyelid, cheek, upper lip, nasal cavity, palate, upper teeth
- Mandibular - sensory sensation to lower cheek, anterior 2/3rds of tongue and lower teeth and motor supply to muscles of mastication
Tested by touching with cotton wool and pinprick and by masseter and pterygoids pushing against resistance
Describe CN VI including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Abducens
- Motor - lateral rectus
- Damaged in fractures to orbit or cavernous sinus
- Causes diplopia on looking laterally
- Test using H test
Describe CN VII including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Facial
- Mixed
- Motor - muscles of facial expression
- Secretomotor to lacrimal, submandibular and sublingual glands and mucous membranes of nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses and palates
- Sensory - taste in anterior 2/3rds of tongue
- Damaged in laceration in parotid region, fracture of temporal bone or intracranial haematoma
- Tests by creasing forehead, keeping eyes closed against resistance, puffing out cheeks and revealing teeth
Describe CN VIII including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Vestibulocochlear
- Sensory
- Vestibular - balance
- Cochlear - hearing
- Damaged by skull fractures of ear infections
- Causes unilateral hearing loss/tinnitus/vertigo
- Test by whispering numbers into ears and Rinne’s (mastoid process) and Weber’s (forehead) test
Describe CN IX including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Glossopharyngeal
- Mixed
- Motor - stylopharyngeus and parotid gland
- Sensory - Carotid body and sinus, pharynx, middle ear and taste to posterior 1/3rd of tongue
- Damaged in deep laceration to neck
- Test using gag reflex (pharyngeal reflex)
Describe CN X including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Vagus
- Mixed
- Motor - muscles of larynx, pharynx and palate and smooth muscles of bronchi and digestive tract
- Sensory - external ear, auditory canal, ear drum, pharynx, larynx and viscera of thorax and abdomen
- Damaged by bronchial/carcinoma, aortic aneurysm and thryoidectomy
- Causes hoarseness of voice (left recurrent laryngeal nere damage)
- Test by opening mouth and saying ‘ah’ - uvula should be central
Describe CN XI including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Accessory
- 2 divisions = cranial and spinal
- Motor = sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
- Damaged in lacerations to neck
- Causes shoulder droop
- Test by shrugging shoulders against resistance
Describe CN XII including function, test and causes of and consequences of trauma
- Hypoglossal
- Motor - muscles of tongue
- Damaged in neck lacerations and fracture to base of skull
- Causes tongue to deviate to damaged sides
- Test by sticking tongue out and moving side to side
Describe how the head and neck is innervated by the sympathetic nervous system
- Via sympathetic trunk (paravertebral chain)
- FIbres ‘hitch-hike’ on the walls of the carotid arteries but lie outside the carotid sheath
- Preganglionic fibres arise in the first thoracic segment and then synapse in:
- Superior cervical ganglion (C1-C4)
- Middle cervical ganglion (C6)
- Inferior cervical ganglion (C7)
Describe what each of the cervical ganglion innervates in the head and heck and how they travel into that region
- Superior: Internal/external carotid arteries
- Somatic - sweat glands
- Visceral - dilator pupillae, nasal and salivary glands, smooth muscle of levator pupillae
- Middle: Inferior thryoid artery
- Lower larynx, trachea, hypo-pharynx, upper oesophagus
- Inferior: Vertebral artery
- May fuse with thoracic ganglion to form the stellate ganglion
State which cervical nerves each cervical ganglion gives rise to
- Superior = upper 4 cervical nerves
- Middle = 5th and 6th
- Inferior = 7th and 8th
All three gives branches to cardiac plexus
State the cranial nerves that provides parasympathic stimulation to the head and neck and which ganglion they synapse with
- CN III (oculomotor) = ciliary ganglion
- CN VII (facial) = pterygopalatine or submandibular ganglion
- CN IX (glossopharyngeal) = otic ganglion
- CN X (vagus) = no discrete ganglion
Describe what parasympathetic stimulation CN III provides and where the preganglionic neurones are located
- Preganglionic neurones in Edinger-Westphal nucleus
- Postganglionic fibres run with short ciliary nerves to enter eye
- Supplies sphincter pupillae and ciliary muscles
Describe what parasympathetic stimulation CN VII provides and where the preganglionic neurones are located
- Preganglionic neurones in superior salivatory nucleus
- Postganglionic fibres supply the:
- Lacrimal gland and mucous glands of palate and nose via the pterygopalatine plexus (via greater petrosal nerve)
- Submandibular and sublingual salivary glands via the submandibular plexus (via chorda tympani)
Describe what parasympathetic stimulation CN IX provides and where the preganglionic neurones are located
- Preganglionic neurones in inferior salivatory nucleus
- Postganglionic fibres supply the parotid gland and oropharynx
Describe what parasympathetic stimulation CN X provides and where the preganglionic neurones are located
- Preganglionic neurones in dorsal vagal motor nucleus
- Postganglionic fibres synapse in wall of target organs to supply the laryngopharynx, larynx, oesophagus and trachea
- Hitch-hike on auriculotemporal nerve (Viii)
What is Horner’s syndrome?
- Interruption to cervical sympathetic trunk
- Causes:
- Miosis (pupil constriction due to unopposed sphincter pupillae)
- Ptosis
- Vasodilation
- Anhydrosis (lack of sweating)
What is the neural crest?
A specialised population of cells that originates within the neroectoderm (lateral border)
The cells become displaced and enter the mesoderm
Describe the components of the primitive face and what structures they give rise to
- Frontal nasal prominence
- Forehead, nose, philtrum, upper eyelids
- Stomatadeum
- Buccopharyngeal membrane - mouth
- 1st pharyngeal arch
- Maxillary prominence = middle third of face, cheeks, lateral upper lip and upper jaw
- Mandibular prominence = lower third of face, lower lip and jaw
Prominences consist of mesenchyme covered by ectoderm
Describe the development of the nose
- Nasal placodes (ecotdermal thickenings) appear on frontonasal prominence
- Sinks to become nasal pits
- Medial and lateral nasal prominences develop on either side
- Nasal prominences are pushed together in the midline when maxillary prominances grow medially
- Maxillary prominences fuse with medial nasal prominences
- Medial nasal prominences then fuse in the midline
- Oronasal membrane disappears
Describe the development of the palate
- Fusion of medial nasal prominences creates the intermaxillary segment
- Gives rise to philtrum, primary palate and 4 incisors
- A palatal shelf develops from the maxillary prominence and grows towards the midline
- It fuses together and with the primary palate to create the secondary palate
- Separates the oral and nasal cavities
- Mandible grows large enough to allow tongue to drop out of the way
- Nasal septum develops as a midline down-growth and fuses with palatal shelves
Describe some conditions that occur in malformation of the palate
- Lateral cleft lip = failure of fusion of medial nasal prominence and maxillary prominence
- Can involve the primary palate also
- Cleft lip = failure of the palatal shelves to meet in the midline
Describe the development of the eyes
- 4th week
- Develop as out-pocketings of forebrain
- Grow out to make contact with overlying ectoderm to form optic placodes
- Optic placodes then invaginate and pinch off
- Retina derived from forebrain
- The eyes move to the front from the side when the facial prominences grow
Describe the development of the external ear
- External auditory meatus from 1st pharyngeal CLEFT
- Auricles from proliferation within 1st and 2nd pharyngeal ARCHES
- 1st = malleus and incus
- 2nd = stapes
- Ears grow to the side of the head from the neck when the mandible grows
Describe the development of the inner ear
- Otic placodes develop as thickening of the ectoderm
- They then sink and invaginate to form the auditory vesicles
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What is foetal alcohol syndrome and what are its symptoms?
- Sensitivity to the developing brain to alcohol
- Causes problems with migration of neural crest cells
- Alcohol can freely cross the placenta so no known safe levels
- Symptoms include:
- Small eye/nose opening
- Thin philtrum
- Under developed jaw
What does the infratemporal fossa contain?
- Mandibular nerve and branches
- Buccal, lingual, inferior alveolar, auriculotemporal
- Chorda tympani from facial nerve
- Otic ganglion
- Lateral and medial pterygoid and inferior temporalis muscles
- Maxillary, middle meningeal and superficial temporal arteries
- Maxillary and middle meningeal veins
- Pterygoid venous plexus
Name some openings in the infratemporal fossa
- Foramen ovale - mandibular nerve
- Foramen spinosum - middle meningeal artery
- Alveolar canal
- Inferior orbital fissure