Regional Anatomy of the Neck

Question 1

What are the three regions of the neck?

Answer 1

Prevertebral region (in front of the vertebral column)
Vertebral region
Postvertebral region (posterior to the vertebral column)

Question 2

What are the boundaries of the root of the neck?

Answer 2

Inferior: thoracic inlet & apices (apex) of the lungs
Superior: C6/7 where trachea and oesophagus have their origin
Posterior: body of T1
Lateral: 1st pair of ribs and costal cartilages
Anterior: manubrium

Question 3

What are the central structures of the root of the neck?

Answer 3

trachea
oesophagus
right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves
right and left sympathetic trunks
thyroid gland
paired lobes of the thymus or its remnant
infrahyoid muscles

Question 4

What are the bilateral structures of the root of the neck?

Answer 4

scalenus anterior
common carotid artery
internal jugular vein
subclavian artery and its branches
subclavian vein and its tributaries
brachiocephalic vein
vagus nerve
phrenic nerve
roots and trunks of the brachial plexus

Question 5

What are the unilateral structures of the root of the neck?

Answer 5

thoracic duct

right lymphatic duct

Question 6

What is the carotid sheath?

Answer 6

a thick fascial layer of connective tissues also called the deep cervical fascia
extends from the cranial base into the root of the neck
lies deep to the sternocleidomastoid
surrounds the internal jugular vein & most carotid arteries
protects vessels

Question 7

What are the contents of each carotid sheath?

Answer 7

common carotid artery (bifurcation at C3/4)
internal carotid artery 
internal jugular vein
vagus nerve
deep cervical lymph nodes

Question 8

What are the structures from lateral to medial in the carotid sheath?

Answer 8

internal jugular vein (most lateral)
vagus nerve
common carotid artery

Question 9

What is the difference between the contents of the carotid sheath superior and inferior to C3/4?

Answer 9

superior to C3/4- contains the internal carotid artery

inferior to C3/4- contains the common carotid artery

Question 10

Where is the location of the carotid sheath?

Answer 10

lies posterolateral to the pharynx, oesophagus, larynx and trachea
extends from the base of the skull to the root of the neck

Question 11

What are the anterior relations to the carotid sheath?

Answer 11

sternocleidomastoid
sternohyoid
sternothyroid
platysma

Question 12

What are the posterior relations to the carotid sheath?

Answer 12

some parts of the cervical plexus
the cervical part of the the sympathetic trunk and its ganglia
scalenus anterior

Question 13

What are the spinal nerves plexuses of the neck?

Answer 13

cervical nerve plexus x2

brachial nerve plexus x2

Question 14

The ventral rami of which spinal nerves contribute to the cervical nerve plexus?

Answer 14

ventral rami of C1-C4 spinal nerves

Question 15

The ventral rami of which spinal nerves contribute to the brachial nerve plexus?

Answer 15

ventral rami of C5 to T1 spinal nerves

Question 16

Where do the brachial nerve plexus course?

Answer 16

courses between scalenus anterior and scalenus medius in root of neck

Question 17

Where do the phrenic nerves originate and course?

Answer 17

origin: cervical plexus
Courses interiorly on anterior surface of the scalenus anterior and enters the root of the neck, then passes through the thoracic inlet and enters the mediastinum of the throax

Question 18

What are the three types of innervation of the vagus nerves?

Answer 18

Vagus nerve (nerve of parasympathetic system)
sensory innervation (information in)
motor somatic innervation (skeletal muscles) (information out)
Motor parasympathetic innervation (organs)

Question 19

Where are the vagus nerves located in the carotid sheath?

Answer 19

lie between the internal jugular veins and the common carotid/ internal carotid artery

Question 20

What are the branches of the vagus nerves?

Answer 20

pharyngeal nerves
superior laryngeal nerves
recurrent laryngeal nerves (supplies motor and sensory function to the larynx)

Question 21

What is the origin of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve?

Answer 21

arises on the anterior surface of the aortic arch in superior mediastinum (T4/5)

Question 22

What is the origin of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve?

Answer 22

arises on the anterior surface of the right subclavian artery in root of neck (T1/2)

Question 23

What are the brachial plexuses?

Answer 23

pair nerve plexuses; each formed by the ventral rami of spinal nerves C5 to T1
lie partially within the root of the neck between the scalenus anterior and scalenus medias muscles

Question 24

What two structures do the branches of the vagus nerve innervate in the neck?

Answer 24

pharynx and larynx

Question 25

Surface anatomy of the head?

Answer 25

clavicle
sternoclavicular joint
jugular notch
sternocleidomastoid muscles
hyoid bone
laryngeal prominence
cricoid cartilage
tracheal rings
carotid sheath

Question 26

What is the calcification of cartilages in the neck?

Answer 26

with age calcification may occur in the hyaline cartilaginous structures of the larynx and trachea, including the tracheal rings, thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage and arytenoid cartilages