Where does the neck extend anteriorly?
From lower border of mandible down to manubrium
Where does the neck extend posteriorly?
From the superior nuchal line down to C7/T1 disc
What does the superior nuchal line give attachment to?
Trapezius
What is the neck divided into?
A series of longitudinal compartments/cylinders.
What is each compartment of the neck contained within?
Layers of cervical fascia
What are the 3 compartments of the neck?
Vertebral, vascular and visceral.
What is the vertebral compartment?
Posterior compartment containing cervical vertebrae and postural muscles.
What is the vascular compartment?
Lateral compartment comprising carotid sheath and its contents: common carotid artery, internal jugular vein, vagus and deep cervical lymph nodes.
What is the visceral compartment?
Anterior compartment containing thyroid gland, parathyroid gland and the thymus gland (if present), the trachea and oesophagus.
What encloses all of the compartments of the neck?
Superficial and deep fascial layers.
What is the platysma?
The thin sheet of muscle contained within the superficial fascia.
What does platysma blend with?
The muscles of the face
Where does platysma get its nerve supply?
- Shares nerve supply because it’s technically a muscle of facial expression
- Innervated by the cervical branch of the facial nerve (CNVII)
Which important superficial veins are within the superficial fascia?
External and anterior jugular veins
What do the external and anterior jugular veins drain?
Superficial structures of the neck.
What are the 4 different deep fascial layers of the neck?
Investing fascia, pretracheal fascia, prevertebral fascia and carotid sheath.
What does the investing fascia surround?
All of the cylinders/compartments (visceral, vertebral and visceral).
What does the investing fascia split to enclose?
Trapezius posteriorly and sternocleidomastoid anteriorly.
What does the prevertebral fascia surround?
- Surrounds the vertebral compartment
- In front of and behind the prevertebral structures
- Cervical vertebrae
- Associated muscles
- Cervical vertebrae
- Associated muscles
What 2 fascial layers create the pretracheal fascia?
Pretracheal fascia and buccopharyngeal fascia
Which compartment does the pretracheal fascia enclose?
Visceral compartment
Which bone does the pretracheal fascia attach to?
Hyoid bone
Why will the visceral compartment move with swallowing?
Because the pretracheal fascia is attached to the hyoid bone.
What is the carotid sheath?
Column of fascia surrounding the common carotid artery, internal jugular vein and vagus nerve.
What lies between all of the fascial spaces. What does this mean pathologically?
There are spaces between all of these fascial spaces, they communicate below with the mediastinum, therefore any infection in the neck, e.g. abscess, that collects in one of these spaces will track straight down into the mediastinum and create mediastinitis.
What are the 2 different regions of the neck?
Anterior and posterior triangle.
What is the anterior triangle bounded by?
Sternocleidomastoid, inferior border of mandible and midline of the neck (therefore 2 triangles anteriorly)
What are the 2 muscles of the anterior triangle?
Suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles
What are the suprahyoid muscles?
Muscles connecting the hyoid bone to the skull.
What creates the floor of the mouth?
The suprahyoid muscles.
