Neck Triangles and Cervical Plexus Flashcards

Flashcards about neck triangles and cervical plexus of nerves

What are the two main triangles of the neck?

Anterior and posterior triangles

What is the posterior triangle of the neck?

Region posterior to sternocleidomastoid, anterior to trapezius, and superior to clavicle

What is the anterior triangle of the neck?

Region between the inferior border of the mandible, the sternocleidomastoid, and the midline of the neck.

Name the four contents of the anterior triangle of the neck.

Submental, Submandibular, Carotid, and Muscular

What are the contents of the posterior triangle?

Four superficial branches of the cervical plexus, external jugular vein, subclavian artery, transverse cervical nerves, and accessory nerve

What superficial veins are found in the posterior triangle?

External jugular vein

What artery is found in the posterior triangle?

Subclavian artery

What triangle contains the submental lymph nodes?

Submental triangle

What triangle do you find the submandibular lymph nodes?

Submandibular triangle

Which muscles define the submental triangle?

Anterior belly of the digastric muscle

What artery is contained within the carotid triangle?

Carotid artery

What vein is contained within the carotid triangle?

Internal jugular vein

Which nerve is contained within the carotid triangle?

Hipoglosal nerve

What nerves emerge from the cervical plexus and are located within the carotid triangle?

Four Ventral Rami of the cervical Plexus

What contents are located in the muscular triangle?

Cervical Rami of the Cervical Plexus, Esophagus, Trachea, Thyroid Gland, and Anterior Jugular Vein

What anatomical structures are found in the muscular triangle?

Esophagus and Trachea

What gland is located within the muscular triangle?

Thyroid gland

How many cervical spinal nerves are there?

8

How do cervical spinal nerves 1-7 exit the vertebral foramen?

Above the vertebrae of the same number

Where does cervical nerve 8 exit?

Between C7 and T1

What does the dorsal ramus of cervical spinal nerves supply?

Muscles of the vertebral column and the skin of the back of the scalp and neck

What do the ventral rami of cervical spinal nerves do?

Cn1-Cn4 join to form the cervical plexus, Cn5-Cn8 join to form the brachial plexus

Which cervical spinal nerves form the cervical plexus?

Cn1-Cn4

Name the four superficial branches of the cervical plexus.

Lesser Occipital nerve, Great Auricular nerve, Transverse Cervical nerve, and Supraclavicular nerve

What is the function of the lesser occipital nerve?

Supplies skin and scalp behind the auricle

What area does the great auricular nerve supply?

Skin of the auricle, area of the parotid gland, and angle of the mandible

What is the function of the transverse cervical nerve?

Supplies skin of the side and front of the neck from the menton to the sternum

What area does the supraclavicular nerve supply?

Skin over the chest and shoulder

What are the deep branches of the cervical plexus?

Communicating branch, Muscular branches, Proprioceptive branches, Descendens Cervicalis, Phrenic Nerve

What is the function of the communicating branch of the cervical plexus?

Carries motor fibers to the geniohyoid, thyrohyoid, and infrahyoid muscles

Where does the infrahyoid fiber leave?

Superior root of the ansa cervicalis

What is the function of the muscular branches of the cervical plexus?

Branches passing from all 4 cervical nerves to the prevertebral muscles

What is the function of the proprioceptive branches of the cervical plexus?

Supply the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trapezium

What is another name for the descendens cervicalis?

Inferior Root of the Ansa Cervicalis

What is the function of the descendens cervicalis?

Supplies the infrahyoid muscles (except thyrohyoid) together with the Communicating branch

What is the function of the phrenic nerve?

Innervates the diaphragm

What is the location of the posterior triangle of the neck?

Posterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle, anterior to the trapezius muscle, and superior to the clavicle.

What are the boundaries of the anterior triangle of the neck?

Inferior border of the mandible, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and the midline of the neck.

What is contained within the posterior triangle of the neck?

Superficial branches of the cervical plexus, external jugular vein, subclavian artery, transverse cervical nerves, and accessory nerve.

Name the superficial branches of the cervical plexus in the posterior triangle.

Lesser occipital, great auricular, transverse cervical, and supraclavicular nerves.

What is the course of the lesser occipital nerve?

Runs upward to supply skin and scalp behind the auricle.

What area does the great auricular nerve supply?

Skin of the auricle, area of the parotid gland, and angle of the mandible.

What area does the transverse cervical nerve supply?

Skin of the side and front of the neck from the menton to the sternum.

What is the target of the supraclavicular nerve?

Skin over the chest and shoulder.

Name the deep branches of the cervical plexus.

Communicating branch, muscular branches, proprioceptive branches, descendens cervicalis, and phrenic nerve.

What is the role of the communicating branch of the cervical plexus?

Carries motor fibers to the geniohyoid, thyrohyoid, and infrahyoid muscles.

Where do the infrahyoid fibers leave the communicating branch?

Through the superior root of the ansa cervicalis.

What area is innervated by the phrenic nerve?

The diaphragm

What are the four triangles formed by the anterior triangle of the neck?

Submental, submandibular, carotid, and muscular triangles.

What structures define the submental triangle?

Anterior belly of the digastric muscle, mandible, and hyoid bone.

What is the contents of the submandibular triangle?

Submandibular lymph nodes and small veins.

What main vessels are found in the carotid triangle?

Carotid artery and internal jugular vein.

What cranial nerve passes through the carotid triangle?

Hypoglossal nerve

Which Plexus innervates the Esophagus?

Cervical Plexus

What nerve innervates the Trachea?

Cervical Plexus

Which nerve innervates the thyroid gland?

Cervical Plexus

Which vein drains inside Muscular triangle?

Anterior Jugular Vein

What area does Dorsal Ramus innervate?

Muscles of the vertebral column and the skin of the back of the scalp and neck

Where does the cervical plexus arise from?

Ventral Ramus

Ventral Ramus gives rise to which plexuses?

cervical plexus and the brachial plexus

What are the Deep Branches function?

motor function; enable/control muscle movement

What are the Superficial Branches function?

Sensory function, carry the sensations such as touch, temperature,

Where communicating branch of Cervical plexus located?

Underneath the hipoglossal nerve (XII)

Other name for Descendens Cervicalis

Inferior Root of the Ansa Cervicalis

What is the course of the supraclavicular nerves?

They run downwards to supply the skin over the chest and shoulder

What is supplied by Muscular Branches

Small branches passing from all 4 cervical nerves to the prevertebral muscles

What is supplied by Proprioceptive Branches

Supply the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trapezium

What information is provided through Proprioceptive Branches

Sensing the body’s position in space

From which cervical spinal nerves Phrenic nerve arises?

C3, C4, and C5

What structures supply of the muscles of the vertebral column and the skin of the back of the scalp and neck

Dorsal Ramus

What structures supply of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trapezium (Proprioceptive Branches)

Dorsal Ramus

What supply Phrenic Nerve?

Diaphragm

What supply Superficial Branches?

Sensations such as touch, temperature or pain

Which CNs form Cervical Plexus?

Cn1 – Cn4

Describe Posterior belly of digastric muscle

The muscle is one of the suprahyoid muscles

Which nerve passes between C7 and T1

Cn8

Which are the two major plexuses?

Cervical plexus and the brachial plexus