Posterior Triangle Of The Neck Flashcards
The neck joins the ____ to the ___ and ______.
It serves as a:
Head
Trunk
Limbs
Major pathway for structures passing between them
What important organs are located in the neck?
Larynx
Pharynx
Thyroid
Parathyroid glands
What forms the skeleton of the neck?
Cervical vertebrae (C1-C7)
Hyoid bone
Manubrium of the sternum
Clavicles
Where does the hyoid bone lie?
In the anterior part of the neck at C3 level
Structures in the neck are surrounded by:
They are divided into:
Superficial fascia
Different partitions by layers of deep cervical fascia
What does the superficial cervical fascia contain?
Cutaneous nerves
Blood and lymph vessels
Superficial lymph nodes
Variable amounts of fat
Anterolaterally: Contains the platysma
What is the muscle of facial expression?
Platysma
Attachment of platysma
Innervation:
Action:
Superior: Inferior border of mandible, skin and subcutaneous tissues of lower face
Inferior: Fascia covering superior parts of pectoralis major and deltoid muscles
Innervation: cervical branch of facial nerve (CN VII)
Action:” draws corners of mouth inferiorly and widens it; draws skin of neck superiorly when teeth are clenched indicating tension
What are the 3 layers of the deep cervical fascia?
Investing
Pretracheal
Prevertebral
The pretracheal layer has what two parts?
Muscular
Visceral
The deep cervical fascia supports:
The viscera (eg- thyroid glands)
Muscles
Vessels
Deep lymph nodes
Purpose of the deep cervical fascia
Provides slipperiness allowing structures in the neck to move or pass over one another without difficulty (like when swallowing and turning the head and neck)
Forms natural cleavage planes, allowing separation of tissues during surgery
Superficial layer of the deep fascia. What does this surround?
Investing layer
Entire neck deep to subcutaneous tissue
The investing layer of DCF (deep cervical fascia) splits to enclose:
Sternocleidomastoid and
Trapezius muscles
As well as: Parotic and submandibular glands
Attachments of the investing layer of the DCF
Superiorly: Superior nuchal line of the occipital bone, mastoid process of temporal bones, zygomatic arches, inf border of mandible, hyoid and SP of cervical vertebrae
Inferiorly: Manubrium of sternum, clavicles, acromions, spines of the scapulae
Posteriorly: Continuous with C7 SP and nuchal ligament
Where does the suprastenal space lie?
Between the 2 layers of investing fascia that enclose the SCM (one layer attaches to the anterior and other to the post surface of the manubrium)
Contents of the suprasternal space
Anterior jugular veins
Jugular venous arch
Fat
Few deep lymph nodes
What layer of the DCF is limited to the anterior part of the neck?
Pretracheal layer
The pretracheal layer of the CDF extends inferiorly from the _____ into the _____.
Here it blends with:
Hyoid
Thorax
Fibrous pericardium covering the heart
The pretracheal layers includes a thin _______ part, which encloses:
And a ____ part that encloses:
Muscular
Infrahyoid muscles
Visceral part
Thyroid gland
Trachea
Esophagus
The visceral part of the pretracheal layer is continuous _____ with the ____ _____
Posterosuperiorly
Buccopharyndeal fascia
The pretracheal layer blends laterally with the:
Carotid sheaths
What is the carotid sheath
A tubular fascia investment that extends from the cranial bands to the root of the neck
The carotid sheath blends anteriorly with:
And posteriorly with:
Investing and pretracheal layers of fascia
Prevertebral layers of DCF
Contents of the carotid sheath
Common and internal carotid arteries
Internal jugular vein
Vagus nerve
Deep cervical lymph nodes
Carotid sinus nerve
Sympathetic nerve fibers (carotid periarterial plexuses)
The carotid sheath communicates with the ______ of the ____ inferiorly and the ___ _____ superiorly.
These communications represent:
Mediastinum of the thorax
Cranial cavity
Potential pathways for the spread of infection
The prevertebral layer of the DCF forms a:
Tubular sheath for the vertebral column and muscles associated with it (such as longus colli and longus capitis)
The prevertebral layers of the DCF is fixed to the ___ ___ superiorly,. And fuses with the ___ ___ ____ centrally and ___ vertebra
Cranial base
Anterior longitudinal ligament
T3
The prevertebral layers extends laterally as the ____ _____ which surrounds the:
Axillary sheath
Axillary vessels and brachial plexus
What is the largest and most clinically important interfacial space in the neck? Why?
Retropharyngeal space
It is the major pathway for the spread of infection
The retropharyngeal space is a ___ space that consists of:
Potential
Loose connective tissue between the visceral part of the prevertebral layer of DCF and the buccopharyngeal fascia
Inferiorly, the buccopharyngeal fascia is continuous with the:
Pretracheal layers of the DCF
The retropharyngeal space is closed superiorly by:
The base of the cranium and on each side by the carotid sheath
The retropharyngeal space permits movement of what?
Pharynx
Esophagus
Larynx
Trachea
Relative to the vertebral column during swallowing
What is the thin layer of fascia that crosses the retropharyngeal space?
Alar fascia
The alar fascia attaches along the midline of the _______ fascia from the ____ to the level of ____ vertebra.
It extends laterally to blend with the:
Buccopharyngeal
Cranium
C7
Carotid sheath
What divides each side of the neck into anterior and posterior triangles?
Sternocleidomastoid muscle
Attachments, innervation and action for SCM
Superior attachment: Lateral surface of mastoid process of temporal bone and lateral half of superior nuchal line
Inf attachment: 2 heads
- Sternal head: Ant surface of manubrium of sternum
- Clavicular head: Sup surface of medial 3rd of clavicle
IN: Spinal accessory nerve (CN XII), C2 and C3 nerves (pain and proprioception)
AC: Unilateral contraction (tilts head to same side, rotates so face is turned superiorly toward opposite side)
Bilateral contraction: Neck extension at Atlanto-occipital joins, Flexes cervical
