Week 1 - Fascial Layers of the Neck Flashcards
What is fascia?
- Fibrous connective tissue surrounding muscles, vessels and nerves
- Mesenchymal origin
What is the purpose of fascia in the neck?
- Compartmentalises, supports and binds structures in the neck
- Helps prevent spread of infection
Where is the superficial cervical fascia located?
Between the dermis and the deep cervical fascia
What is contained within the superficial cervical fascia?
- Neurovasculature to the skin
- Superficial veins and LNs
- Fat
- Platysma muscle
Describe the location and form of the Platysma muscle
- 2 heads - 1 on each side
- Originate from pec major and deltoid
- Cross clavicle and fuse with facial muscles, leaving bare area in midline
Name the 3 layers of the deep cervical fascia
- Investing fascia
- Pretracheal fascia
- Prevertebral layer
What does the investing layer of fascia enclose?
All the neck structures, but in particular splits to go around both sides of the SCM and trapezius
Where is the Pretracheal layer of fascia located?
Where does it span between?
What does it fuse with?
- Anterior neck
- Spans between hyoid bone and thorax
- Fuses with pericardium
What are the 2 parts of the Pretracheal fascia and what do they enclose?
1) Visceral part - thyroid, oesophagus and trachea
2) Muscular part - infrahyoid muscles
What does the Prevertebral layer enclose?
Vertebral column and associated muscles
What is formed from the Prevertebral layer of fascia?
What does it enclose?
The axillary sheath - encloses the brachial plexus and subclavian artery as they leave the neck
Which fascia like layer(s) form(s) the carotid sheaths?
All 3 deep layers
What structures are found within the carotid sheaths?
- Common carotid artery
- IJV
- Vagus nerve
- Deep cervical LNs
Where do the carotid sheaths extend from and to?
- Base of skull to thoracic mediastinum
What are the two major divisions of fascia in the neck?
Superficial and deep
