DocGuy Short Notes: Anatomy of the Superficial Neck

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ANATOMY
Medicine Made Simple

, THE SUPERFICIAL NECK
 SURFACE MARKING

 Notch of thyroid cartilage
 Hyoid bone – C3
  Cricothyroid ligament (important - cricothyroid puncture) 
 Isthmus of thyroid gland – 2-4 tracheal rings (sometimes palpable) 
 Lower border of Cricoid cartilage - C6 

Also, at the lower border of the cricoid cartilage (C6) lies the,
1. junction of larynx with trachea
2. junction of pharynx with oesophagus
3. inferior thyroid artery enters & middle thyroid vein leaves the thyroid gland
4. vertebral artery enters foramen transversarium of C6 vertebra
5. superior belly of omohyoid crosses carotid sheath
6. middle cervical sympathetic ganglion
th
7. carotid artery can be compressed against anterior tubercle of the transverse process (carotid tubercle) of 6
cervical vertebra


 carotid sheath – join the following points 
i. a point midway between tip of mastoid process & angle of the jaw
ii. sternoclavicular joint
 bifurcation of common carotid artery – upper border of thyroid cartilage 

 Cutaneous innervation
 C2, C3, C4
 anterolateral part – anterior primary rami through
  lesser occipital 
  great auricular 
  Transverse cervical 
 supraclavicular 
 posterior part – posterior primary rami
*C1 – no cutaneous innervation
C4 – through supraclavicular nerves supply pectoral region

Clinical – diaphragmatic irritation causes referred pain
in shoulder tip via supra clavicular nerve which is a
branch of cervical plexus.


 SUPERFICIAL FASCIA
 platysma 
 cervical branch of facial nerve 
 lymph nodes & vessels.


 external jugular vein 
 deep to platysma
 posterior auricular + posterior division of
retromandibular vein


External jugular vein
1