Lecture Monday September 24: Anatomy of the Neck, Pharynx and Larynx

Cervical Spine
- Rotation occurs at C1 and C2
- Vertebral artery runs superiorly through the transverse processes to enter the foremen magnum.

Posterior Triangle of the Neck
SCM is anterior border and trapezius is the posterior border.
Anterior, middle and posterior scalene muscles in the floor. Brachial plexus present between anterior and middle.
Clinical problems:
1. Compression of brachial plexus with resulting nerve problems of the upper limb
2. Torticollis from tight/contracted SCM on one side

Cervical plexus (anterior rami of C1-C4)
Sensory nerves:
- transverse cervical (C2-C3)
- lesser occipital (C2)
- great auricular (C2-C3)
- supraclavicular (C3-C4)
Motor nerves:
- Ansa cervicalis (C1-C3)
- phrenic (C3-C5)



Muscles of the Anterior Triangle
2 Groups above and below the hyoid bone:
Suprahyoid - innervated by either Cranial nerve V or VII
Infrahyoid - innervated by nerves of the cervical plexus C1 or ansa cervicalis

External Carotid artery branches
1. Superior thyroid
2. Ascending pharyngeal
3. Lingual
4. Facial
5. Occipital
6. Maxillary
7. Superficial temporal


Hypoglossal Nerve
Motor to the muscles of the tongue

Vagus Nerve in the Neck (remember pharynx, larynx and palate)
1. Recurrent laryngeal nerve
Motor to muscles of the larynx and sensory to the mucosa of the larynx below the vocal folds

2. Superior laryngeal nerve
- internal laryngeal branch is sensory to the mucosa of the larynx above the vocal folds
- external laryngeal branch is motor to the cricothyroid muscle



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