triangles of the neck

muscles
Sternomastoid

Origin

·      2 heads

·      rounded tendon from manubrium

·      fleshy muscle from clavicle

·      triangular interval between them

·      internal jugular vein lies there

Path

·      separates anterior and posterior triangles

·      beneath it lies

·      cervical plexus in upper half

·      carotid sheath in lower half

·      enclosed by splitting of deep fascia

Insertion

·      manubrial head

·      from tip of mastoid

·      to superior nuchal line

·      clavicular head

·      superior nuchal line medial to manubrial fibres

·      deep part to mastoid

·      accessory nerve passes between it and other 3 parts

Nerve supply

·      spinal part of accessory nerve

·      esp. C2,3

·      innervated by cortex of same side

·      when looking to left, right muscle contracts

Posterior

boundaries

·      borders

·      sternomastoid

·      trapezius

·      apex

·      back of skull on superior nuchal line

·      base

·      middle third of clavicle

·      roof

·      deep fascia

·      floor

·      prevertebral fascia

·      beneath prevertebral fascia

·      splenius, levator scapulae, scalenes

·      subclavian artery

·      brachial plexus

·      cervical plexus

contents
Accessory nerve

·      emerges at posterior border of sternomastoid

·      at junction of upper and middle thirds

·      passes vertically over levator scapulae

·      disappears beneath anterior border of trapezius

·      5 cm above clavicle

Omohyoid

·      crosses lower medial part

Vessels

·      transverse cervical and suprascapular arteries

·      just above clavicle

·      subclavian artery

·      3rd part

·      at lower border of triangle

·      external jugular vein

·      at anterior border of triangle

Cervical plexus

·      cutaneous branches

·      plexus itself not in triangle

cervical plexus

·      formed by loops between anterior rami of C1-4

·      lies on scalenius medius

·      deep to prevertebral fascia

·      covered by upper part of sternomastoid

Muscular branches

Segmental

·      to prevertebral muscles

Hypoglossal

·      loop from C1

Muscular

·      proprioceptive fibres

·      from C2,3 to SCM

·      from C3,4 to trapezius

Inferior root of ansa cervicalis

·      formed from branch of C2 and C3

Phrenic nerve

·      formed from C4 (and some C3 and C5)

Cutaneous branches

Lesser occipital nerve

·      C2

·      hooks around accessory nerve

·      runs up posterior border of SCM

·      supplies posterolateral neck

Great auricular nerve

·      C2

·      passes vertically upwards over SCM

·      supplies ear and face

Other nerves

·      to neck

·      not part of cervical plexus

Greater occipital

·      posterior ramus of C2

·      supplies back of neck

Third occipital

·      posterior ramus of C3

·      supplies cylindrical part of neck

Fourth occipital

·      posterior ramus of C4

·      supplies cape distribution

Anterior

muscles
Suprahyoid

·      digastric

·      stylohyoid

·      mylohyoid

·      geniohyoid

Infrahyoid

·      sternohyoid

·      omohyoid

·      thyrohyoid

·      sternothyroid

Omohyoid

·      superior belly attached to lateral part of inferior border of hyoid

·      passes beneath SCM

·      lies over carotid sheath

·      becomes tendon where lies over internal jugular vein

·      changes direction

·      bound to clavicle by fascial sling

·      derived from deep fascia

·      inferior belly passes to transverse scapular ligament

thyroid
Vessels

Superior thyroid artery

·      branch of external carotid artery

·      pierces pretracheal fascia

·      passes to upper pole

·      external laryngeal nerve behind it

Inferior thyroid artery

·      branch of thyrocervical trunk

·      pierces pretracheal fascia

·      passes to lower pole

·      recurrent laryngeal nerve nearby

Superior thyroid vein

·      follows superior thyroid artery

·      enters internal jugular or facial vein

Middle thyroid vein

·      passes from middle of lobe

·      enters internal jugular vein

Inferior thyroid vein

·      forms plexus

·      drains into brachiocephalic veins

Nerves

Recurrent laryngeal nerves

·      run in groove between trachea and oesophagus

·      together with inferior thyroid artery

External laryngeal nerves

·      run behind superior thyroid artery

great vessels
Common carotid artery

·      arises from

·      arch of aorta on left

·      brachiocephalic on right

·      lies in medial part of carotid sheath

·      gives off no branches

·      bifurcates at C3

·      at tip of hyoid

·      into external and internal carotids

External carotid artery

·      commences at C3

·      passes deep to posterior belly of digastric

·      enters parotid

·      divides into

·      maxillary artery

·      superficial temporal artery

·      gives off 6 branches

·      superior thyroid

·      lingual

·      facial

·      occipital

·      posterior auricular

·      ascending pharyngeal

Internal carotid artery

·      commences at C3

·      starts lateral to external carotid

·      slopes posteriorly to lie medial

·      no branches in neck

Internal jugular vein

·      emerges from jugular foramen

·      lies on lateral side of carotid sheath

·      joins subclavian to form brachiocephalic vein

Anterior jugular vein

·      commences beneath chin

·      passes downward under platysma

·      pierces deep fascia

·      lies above sternum

·      passes laterally deep to SCM

·      enters external jugular vein

External jugular vein

·      courses down in front of sternomastoid

·      pierces deep fascia 2 cm above midpoint of clavicle

·      empties into subclavian vein

Ansa cervicalis

·      lies on front of internal jugular vein

·      formed by union of

·      superior root from hypoglossal nerve

·      inferior root from C2 and C3 anterior rami