Cervical Plexus

Question 1

What is the cervical plexus formed by?

Answer 1

anterior primary rami of C1-C4

Question 2

What form a series of communicating loops in the cervical plexus?

Answer 2

nerve roots

Question 3

What fibers communicate with the loop formed by C1-C2?

Answer 3

inferior (nodose) vagal ganglion fibers

Question 4

What do fibers from the spinal root of the accessory nerve carry?

Answer 4

proprioceptive information

Question 5

Where do the fibers of the spinal root of the accessory nerve communicate?

Answer 5

loops formed by: C2-C3 and C3-C4

  - SCM to C2
  - trapezius to C3-C4

Question 6

What named nerve communicates with C1 fibers?

Answer 6

Hypoglossal nerve

Question 7

C1 fibers separate from the hypoglossal nerve and become what?

Answer 7

superior root of the ansa cervicalis

Question 8

What usually carries postganglionic sympathetic fibers and loop between C1-C2 and C3-C4?

Answer 8

3 gray rami communicans (vasomotor, sudomotor, pilomotor)

Question 9

What are the superficial branches of the cervical plexus?

Answer 9

lesser occipital nerve, great auricular nerve, transverse cutaneous nerve of the neck, medial/intermediate/lateral supraclavicular nerves

Question 10

What fibers does the lesser occipital nerve carry?

Answer 10

C2 sometimes C3

Question 11

What does the lesser occipital nerve supply?

Answer 11

skin on superior 1/3 of the auricle and skin behind the ear

Question 12

What nerves does the lesser occipital nerve communicate with?

Answer 12

greater occipital nerve and great auricular nerve

Question 13

What nerve might be implicated in cervicogenic headache?

Answer 13

lesser occipital nerve

Question 14

What fibers does the great auricular nerve carry?

Answer 14

C2 and C3

Question 15

What does the great auricular nerve enter and then divide into?

Answer 15

parotid gland, divides into anterior and posterior branches

Question 16

What does the anterior branch of the great auricular nerve combine with?

Answer 16

facial nerve

Question 17

What does the anterior branch of the great auricular nerve and the facial nerve together innervate?

Answer 17

skin over the parotid gland

Question 18

What does the posterior branch of the great auricular nerve supply?

Answer 18

skin over the mastoid process

Question 19

What does the transverse cutaneous nerve of the neck carry fiber wise?

Answer 19

Fibers from C2 and C3

Question 20

What does the lateral cutaneous nerve of the neck divide into?

Answer 20

ascending and descending branches

Question 21

What do the ascending and descending branches of the lateral cutaneous nerve supply?

Answer 21

skin over the platysma muscle

Question 22

What trunks combine to form a trunk giving off the medial, intermediate, lateral supraclavicular nerves?

Answer 22

C3 and C4 trunks

Question 23

What does the medial supraclavicular nerve supply?

Answer 23

skin inferior to the sternal end of the clavicle as far inferior as the 2nd rib

Question 24

What does the intermediate supraclavicular nerve supply?

Answer 24

skin over the deltoid and pectoralis major as far inferior as the 2nd rib

Question 25

What does the lateral supraclavicular nerve innervate?

Answer 25

skin over the superior and lateral aspects of the shoulder

Question 26

What are the deep branches of the cervical plexus divided into?

Answer 26

a medial and lateral series

Question 27

Where is the lateral series of deep cervical plexus found?

Answer 27

passes into the posterior triangle

Question 28

What does the lateral series of deep cervical plexus divide into?

Answer 28

spinal root of the accessory nerve and muscular branches

Question 29

What does the spinal root of the accessory nerve recieve communicating branches from?

Answer 29

fibers from C2-C4

Question 30

What are the 4 muscular branches of the lateral series of deep cervical plexus fibers?

Answer 30

SCM, trapezius, levator scapula, middle scalene

Question 31

Where does the SCM receive proprioceptive information from?

Answer 31

C2, C3 and C4

Question 32

Where does the trapezius receive proprioceptive information from?

Answer 32

C2 maybe C3

Question 33

Where does levator scapula recieve motor and sensory fibers from?

Answer 33

C3 and C4

Question 34

Where does the middle scalene receive fibers from?

Answer 34

C3 and C4

Question 35

Where does the medial series from the deep cervical plexus pass?

Answer 35

passes into the anterior triangle

Question 36

What does the medial series of deep cervical plexus fibers divide into?

Answer 36

communicating and muscular branches

Question 37

What are the communicating branches of the medial deep cervical plexus fibers?

Answer 37

- between vagus and loop between C1 and C2 - 3-4 gray rami communicans to form the superior cervical ganglion to the upper 4 cervical nerves (C1-4) - fibers from C1 communicating w/ hypoglossal nerve, separates from the hypoglossal nerve to form the superior root of the ansa cervicalis

Question 38

What are the muscular branches of the medial series of deep cervical plexus fibers sent to?

Answer 38

rectus capitis lateralis rectus capitis anterior longus capitis longus colli

Question 39

What fibers of the muscular branches of the deep cervical plexus fibers supply rectus capitis lateralis?

Answer 39

C1

Question 40

What fibers of the muscular branches of the deep cervical plexus fibers supply rectus capitis anterior?

Answer 40

C1 and C2

Question 41

What fibers of the muscular branches of the deep cervical plexus fibers supply longus capitis?

Answer 41

C1-C3

Question 42

What fibers of the muscular branches of the deep cervical plexus fiberes supply longus colli?

Answer 42

C2-C4

Question 43

What branches from the medial series of deep cervical plexus fibers combine to form the inferior root of the ansa cervicalis?

Answer 43

C2 and C3

Question 44

What does the ansa cervicalis supply?

Answer 44

sternohyoid, sternothyroid, and both bellies of omohyoid

Question 45

What is the phrenic nerve formed by?

Answer 45

C3-C5

Question 46

What cervical nerve contributes the most fibers to the ansa cervicalis?

Answer 46

C4

Question 47

How does the phrenic nerve travel?

Answer 47

descends through the neck, anterior to the anterior scalene muscle

Question 48

How does the phrenic nerve receive postganglionic fibers?

Answer 48

from the cervical ganglia

Question 49

What does the phrenic nerve innervate?

Answer 49

diaphragm

Question 50

What could be a cause of hiccups that just won't go away?

Answer 50

subluxation affecting the phrenic nerve

Question 51

When is someone considered a quadrapaligic?

Answer 51

spinal cord injury at C8 or above (you can still breathe do to multiple cord levels supplying the diaphragm)