Triangles of the Neck Flashcards
What are the 2 triangles of the neck?
What are the subtriangles called?
Anterior and Posterior
Submental, Submandibular, Muscular and Carotid
(all subtriangles of the anterior triangle)
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders and apex?
What structures are found within it?
Anterior Triangle
- Inferior margin of mandible (base)
- Midline of the neck
- Anterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Suprasternal notch (apex)
Contents:
- Suprahyoid muscles (digrastric, mylohyoid, geniohyoid and stylohyoid)
- Infrahyoid muscles (sternohyoid sternothyroid, thyrohyoid and superior belly of omohyoid)
- Thyroid, parathyroid and submandibular glands
- Larynx, trachea and oesophagus
- Arteries - common carotid - external and internal carotid (and sinus); superior and inferior thyroid; and facial artery
- Veins - anterior jugular veins, internal jugular, superior and middle thyroid, and common facial veins
- Nerves - vagus CNX and hypoglossal CNXII
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders and apex?
What structures are found within it?
Posterior Triangle
- Midline 1/3 of clavicle (base)
- Posterior margin of sterncleidomastoid muscle
- Anterior margin of trapezius muscle
- Posteroinferior to mastoid process (apex)
Contents:
- Arteries - (3rd) part of subclavian, suprascapular and transverse cervical
- Veins - external jugular (terminal part), suprascapular and transverse cervical
- Nerves of cervical plexus (sensory), spinal accessory (CNXI) and brachial plexus
- Cervical plexus - lesser occipital, transverse cervical, great auricular and supraclavicular
- Brachial plexus - dorsal scapular, long thoracic and suprascapular
- Lymph nodes
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders?
What structures are found within it?
Muscular triangle
- hyoid bone (superiorly)
- midline of neck (medially)
- superior belly of omohyoid muscle (supero-laterally)
- inferior portion of the sternocleidomastoid (inferior-laterally)
Contents:
- Superior thyroid artery
- Superior thyroid, inferior thyroid, anterior jugular veins
- Ansa cervicalis (nerve)
- Strap/infrahyoid muscles - sternohyoid, sternothyroid and thyrohyoid
- Thyroid and parathyroid glands
(subtriangle of anterior)
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders?
What structures are found within it?
Submental triangle
- Mandible (superiorly)
- Hyoid bone (inferiorly)
- Anterior bellies of right and left digastric muscle (laterally)
- (floor made up by mylohyoid muscle)
Contents:
- Anterior jugular vein
- Submental lymph nodes
(subtriangle of anterior and only paired triangle)
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders?
What structures are found within it?
Carotid triangle
- Posterior belly of digastric muscle (superiorly)
- Superior belly of omohyoid muscle (inferomedially)
- Anterior border of sternocleidomastoid (inferolaterally)
Contents:
- Carotid arteries (common - with carotid body; internal - with carotid sinus; and external carotid and tributaries)
- Hypoglossal nerve (CNXII)
- Vagus nerve (CNX) - external and internal laryngeal nerve
- Internal jugular, common facial, lingual, superior and middle thyroid veins
(subtriangle of anterior)
Identify the following triangle:
What structures make up its borders?
What structures are found within it?
Submandibular triangle
- Body of mandible (superiorly)
- Anterior belly of the digastric muscle (anteriorly)
- Posterior belly of the digastric muscle (posteriorly)
Contents:
- Submandibular gland and lymph nodes
- Facial, submental and lingual arteries and veins
- Stylohyoid muscle
- Mylohyoid and hypoglossal (CNXII) nerves
(subtriangle of anterior)
Identify the structures in the following image:
- Anterior triangle
- Posterior triangle
- Sternocleidomastoid muscle
- Submental triangle
- Submandibular triangle
- Carotid triangle
- Muscular triangle
- Occipital triangle
- Supraclavicular triangle
(note - don’t need to know subtriangles of posterior triangle in detail)
