Head and neck anatomy Flashcards
How many cervical nerves are there? From where do they emerge?
8 x cervical nerves exist: C1-C8
- C1-C7 emerge from the vertebral canal above their respective vertebrae
- C8 emerges between CVII and TI
What forms the cervical plexus? What forms the brachial plexus?
The cervical plexus is made up of anterior rami of C1-C4
The brachial plexus is made up the anterior rami of C5-T1
What do the major branches of the cervical plexus innervate?
The main branches of the cervical plexus innervate: - the strap muscles (infrahyoid muscles)
- the diaphragm (phrenic nerve, remember this is C3-C5)
- anterior and posterior skin of the neck
- chest skin
- inferior head skin??
What is the difference between the position of the larynx in newborns and adults?
In babies, the larynx is above the level of the soft palate; in adults, the larynx is in the low cervical position
The two major triangles of the neck are the anterior and posterior triangles, what are they bordered by?
Anterior triangle of the neck is bordered by:
- anterior midline of the neck
- anterior portion of sternocleidomastoid
- inferior portion of mandible
Posterior triangle of the neck is bordered by:
- anterior margin of trapezius muscle
- posterior portion of sternocleidomastoid muscle
- middle 1/3 of clavicle
The brachial plexus comprises the anterior rami of C5-C8 + T1, where can some of these nerve fibres be found?
Parts of the brachial plexus can be found in the posterior triangle of the neck
How many bones does the skull have? Name all of them.
The skull has 22 bones (excluding the ossicles of the ear)
The bones of the skull are:
- 1 x frontal bone
- 2 x parietal bones
- 1 x occipital bones
- 2 x temporal bones
- 2 x lacrimal bones
- 2 x nasal bones
- 2 x maxillary bones
- 1 x mandible
- 2 x zygomatic bones
- 2 x inferior conchae
- 1 x sphenoid bone
- 1 x vomer bone
- 1 x ethmoid bone
- 2 x palatine bones
All bones of the skull are attached to each other by sutures (immovable joints), forming the cranium - the cranium can be further subdivided into three parts -what are they?
- upper domed part (calvaria) - this encases the brain
- base - floor of the brain
- facial skeleton (viscerocranium)
The calvaria is the domed part of the skull that encases the brain - what bones is this made up of?
- 2 x temporal bones
- 2 x parietal bones
- 1 x frontal bone
- 1 x occipital bone
- 1 x sphenoid bone
The facial skeleton, also known as the viscerocranium, comprises what bones?
- 2 x nasal bones
- 2 x palatine bones
- 2 x lacrimal bones
- 2 x zygomatic bones
- 1 x maxilla
- inferior nasal conchae
- unpaired vomer
Integrated within the skull there are foramina that allow the passing of nerves and blood vessels; there is one very small foramen on both sides of the skull - what are they called and where are they found? What passes through these foramina?
The very small foramen is the zygomaticofacial foramen and it is found on the zygomatic bone, near the infero-lateral rim of the orbit(s).
- zygomaticofacial nerve passes through these foramina
What holes exist for structures ie. blood vessels and nerves to pass through in the anterior portion of the skull?
The anterior portion of the skull hosts the following foramina:
- supraorbital foramina
- infraorbital foramina
- mental foramina
What holes exist for structures ie. blood vessels and nerves to pass through in the lateral portion of the skull?
The lateral portion of the skull hosts the following foramina:
- zygomaticofacial foramina
What holes exist for structures ie. blood vessels and nerves to pass through in the superior portion of the skull? What nerve(s) pass through here?
The superior portion of the skull hosts the following foramina:
- parietal foramina: emissary veins pass through here
What is the anterior view of the skull made up of?
- forehead
- orbits
- nasal region
- isthmus between orbit and maxilla
- maxilla
- mandible
