Surface anatomy of the neck Flashcards
Name the columns of the neck with their fascia
1 - Neuro-muscular skeletal column with prevertebral fascia.
2- Visceral column with pretracheal and buccopharyngeal fascia.
3 - Carotid neurovascular bundle with carotid sheath
Name the fascial layers
- Investing/superficial fascia.
- Pretracheal fascia.
- Carotid sheath.
- Prevertebral fascia
What potential space allows for the movement of pharynx, larynx, trachea and oesophagus? Where does it extend too?
Retropharyngeal space, this permits movement for swallowing. It extends from the base of the skull to the diaphragm via the mediastinum.
What fascia further divides the retropharyngeal space and what is this space called and its clinical significance?
The alar fascia further subdivides the space and forms the Danger space which is a major pathway for spread of infection
What is the clinical significance of dental abscesses?
It can spread mediastinum
Name the boarders of the anterior triangle?
Superiorly - inferior boarder of mandible,
Laterally - anterior boarder of sternocleidomastoid,
Medially - Sagittal line down the midline of the neck
Name the boarders of the Posterior triangle
Anterior - posterior boarder of sternocleidomastoid,
Posterior - anterior boarder of trapezius muscle,
Inferior - Middle 1/3 of clavicle
What is the clinical relevance of the triangles of the neck?
It can help give clues for the reasons of neck lumps, along with other signs like; Tenderness, heat, size, pulsatile, solitary/multiple and is they move when swallowing or sticking out tounge.
Where is the mastoid landmark?
It is the boney prominence directly behind the ear.
Where can you palpate the position of the transverse process of Atlas?
It is midway between the mastoid and angel of the mandible
Where is the Hyoid bone?
Superior to thyroid cartilage, it is suspended in the muscles of the neck.
What does the thyroid cartilage articulate with?
The cricoid cartilage, this allows for rotation and gliding of thyroid cartilage and change in length of vocal cords.
Anteriorly, what is the brachiocephalic trunk covered by?
Sternohyoid and sternothryroid muscles.
Name the three parts of the subclavian artery and its branches
1st part has 3 branches (vertebral artery, thyrocervical trunk and internal thoracic artery).
2nd part has 1 branch (costocervical trunk) and the 3rd part has 1 branch (dorsal scapular artery)
Where does the common carotid artery bifurcate and what does it turn into?
Bifurcation at the level of the superior thyroid cartilage and turns into the internal and external carotid artery.
Where is the location of the carotid body and sinus and what is its nerve innervation
Found at bifurcation of common carotid artery. Innervated by afferent glossopharyngeal and its branch carotid sinus nerve and efferent vagus nerve
What are the functions of the carotid sinus and carotid body?
Sinus - Has baroreceptors which react to changes in arterial blood pressure. Carotid body has chemoreceptors that monitor the partial pressure of CO2
What does the internal carotid artery supply?
Intercrainal structures
What does the carotid sheath surround?
Internal jugular vein, internal carotid artery and vagus nerve
What are the branches of the external carotid artery
(Some Anatomist Like Freaking Out Poor Medical Students)
- Superior Thyroid a.
- Ascending pharyngeal a.
- Lingual a.
- Facial a.
- Occipital a.
- Posterior auricular a.
- Maxillary a.
- Superficial temporal a.
What are the facial veins?
Superficial and deep veins
What are the cranial veins?
Cerebral veins, Dural venous sinuses, Diplopic veins and Emissary veins
What are the cervical veins?
External jugular veins, anterior jugular veins, vertebral veins
What are the cranial veins drained by?
Dural venous sinus which is made up of Superior sagittal sinus, inferior sagittal sinus and sinus rectus, and the sigmoid sinus which becomes the IJV.
What is the most common vein use for Central Venous Catheterisation? and what are the complications of CVC?
Most commonly used is IJV. Some of the complications are pneumothorax, puncture the subclavian artery and nerve injury
What is the EJV route?
Crosses SCM, deep to platysma and enters the anterio-inferior part of posterior triangle. Finally it terminates as subclavian vein
Describe features of the anterior jugular vein
It drains into external jugular or subclavian veins. Both anterior jugular veins join at the jugular venous arch.
What is Erb’s point, the nerves here and the clinical relevance
This is the point at which the Lesser occipital nerve, the Great auricular nerve, transverse cervical nerve and supraclavicular nerve become superficial. Local anaesthetics can be injected here to numb a large area.
