Prevertebral region - cervical sympathetic trunk (dave's notes) Flashcards
Describe the course of the cervical sympathetic trunk
The cervical sympathetic trunk ascends from the thorax across the neck of the first rib running medial to the vertebral artery, in front of the prevertebral fascia, behind the carotid sheath, medial to the vagus nerve
What nerve is lateral to the cervical sympathetic trunk?
The vagus
What is anterior to the cervical sympathetic trunk?
the carotid sheath
What artery is lateral to cervical sympathetic trunk?
The vertebral artery
What is posterior to the cervical sympathetic trunk?
The prevertebral fascia
List the ganglia of the cervical sympathetic trunk
Superior, middle and inferior
What is the most prominent ganglion of the cervical sympathetic trunk? What is its size?
The superior, 3cm
What is the size and location of the middle ganglion of the cervical sympathetic trunk?
The middle ganglion is small and inconsistent. In front of the vertebral artery.
Where is the inferior ganglion of the cervical sympathetic trunk found? What variant may occur here?
Behind the commencement of the vertebral artery. May be fused with the first thoracic ganglion to form the stellate ganglion.
What branches do and don’t enter the cervical sympathetic trunk ganglia?
No white rami from cervical nerves. Branches are somatic and visceral
Define somatic nerve
Voluntary
Which cervical nerves contribute somatic branches to the superior cervical ganglion?
C1-2
Which cervical nerves contribute somatic branches to the middle cervical ganglion?
5-6
Which cervical nerves contribute somatic branches to the inferior cervical ganglion?
7-8 (brachial plexus)
Which cervical nerves contribute no somatic branches to cervical ganglia?
All 8 cervical nerves have somatic contributions ??from cervical ganglia
Describe the visceral outputs from the cervical ganglia
A branch from each ganglion to the cardiac plexus, upper left superficial? all the rest deep?
What visceral and vascular branches does the superior cervical ganglion give off?
ICA, PTPG??, eyeball, and ECA, also pharyngeal plexus, submandibular and otic ganglion
What visceral and vascular branches does the middle cervical ganglion give off?
Subclavian artery, inferior thyroid artery and lower larynx, trachea, upper oesophagus)
What visceral and vascular branches does the inferior cervical ganglion give off?
A large branch to the vertebral artery - does not supply viscera.
