Carotid sheath (dave's notes)

Question 1

Describe the location of the carotid sheath in the head

Answer 1

Lies in contact with the prevertebral fascia, lying on the side wall of the pharynx

Question 2

What is lateral to the carotid sheath in the head?

Answer 2

The three muscles of the styloid apparatus slope down

Question 3

Give the upper and lower margins of the carotid sheath

Answer 3

Extends from the aortic arch to the margin of the carotid canal and parotid fascia

Question 4

What does the upper part of the carotid sheath contain?

Answer 4

Internal carotid artery, internal jugular vein, the last four cranial nerves

Question 5

What lies medial to the upper part of the carotid sheath?

Answer 5

The pharynx

Question 6

What lies lateral to the upper part of the carotid sheath?

Answer 6

The parotid gland and styloid process (3 muscles slope downwards and forwards)

Question 7

What lies behind the upper part of the carotid sheath?

Answer 7

The cervical sympathetic chain, on the prevertebral fascia

Question 8

What passes between the external carotid artery and the internal carotid artery?

Answer 8

Styloid process
Styloid ligament
Styloglossus
Stylopharyngeus
Glossopharyngeal nerve (with a branch to stylopharyngeus) and its pharyngeal branch
Pharyngeal branch of the vagus
(+/- branchial fistula tract)

Question 9

What passes superficially to the carotid sheath?

Answer 9

Stylohyoid, posterior belly of digastric, and at a lower level the hypoglossal nerve

Question 10

What passes deep to both (? the internal and external carotid?)

Answer 10

Superior laryngeal nerve; two branches, internal and external