Lateral cervical region

Template:Infobox - topografie

Lateral cervical region (regio cervicalis lateralis), also known under the older name as the regio colli lateralis or trigonum colli lateralis, is the neck area bounded by the bundles of the trapezius muscle, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and the clavicle .

This area is divided by the course of the lower belly of the omohyoid muscle into the more caudal omoclavicular triangle and the more cranial omotrapezoid triangle. In depth we also find the scalenovertebral triangle and scalene fissure .

Subclavian triangle indicates omoclavicular triangle, occipital triangle and omotrapezoid triangle

Boundary

The space is covered by the platysma, and deep to it is presents the scalene fissure.

Breakdown

Omotrapezoid triangle – upper part of the region, above omohyoid muscle.

Omoclavicular triangle – lower part of the region, under the omohyoid muscle.

Omotrapezoid triangle

  • Ventrally: posterior edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle ;
  • Dorsally: front edge of the trapezius muscle ;
  • Caudally: inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle .

Contents

  • External jugular vein – pierces the fascia cervicalis superficialis in the mediocaudal part of the triangle;
  • a. transversa colli ;
  • Superficial and deep cervical vessels ;
  • Ascending cervical vessels ;
  • Phrenic nerve;
  • Accessory nerve;
  • Supraclavicular part of the brachial plexus – n. dorsalis scapulae , n. suprascapularis , n. thoracicus longus , nn. pectoralis
  • Cervical lymph nodes ;
  • punctum nervosum ;
    • place of passage of sensitive nerves from the cervical plexus through the lamina superficialis fasciae cervicalis, in the middle of the length of the rear edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle ;
    • n. occipitalis minor , n. auricularis magnus , n. transversus colli , nn. supraclaviculares (mediales, intermedii, laterales).

Omoclavicular triangle – greater supraclavicular fossa

  • Ventrally: posterior edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle ;
  • Cranially: inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle ;
  • Caudally: clavicle.

Contents

  • Subclavian vessels;
  • Suprascapular vessels;
  • Ascending and superficial cervical vessels;
  • Brachial plexus;
  • n. phrenicus;
  • nn. supraclaviculares;
  • n. suprascapularis;
  • a. transversa colli;
  • v. jugularis externa;
  • Supraclavicular lymph nodes;
  • Venous angle;
    • on the left, thoracic duct;
    • on the right, right lymphatic duct;
  • Scalenovertebral triangle in the depth.

Scalenovertebral triangle

  • Ventrally: sternocleidomastoid muscle ;
  • Dorsally: longus colli muscle ;
  • Laterally: anterior scalene muscle ;
  • Medially:  trachea, oesophagus, thyroid gland;
  • Caudally: cupula pleurae.
Contents
  • v. subclavia;
  • a. subclavia;
  • brachial plexus;
  • sympathetic trunk – stellate ganglion, subclavian ansa;
  • nn. cardiaci cervicales;
  • thoracic duct – only on the left;
  • left venous angle;
  • right lymphatic duct;
  • n. vagus;
  • n. phrenicus.


  • HORKÝ, Drahomír – NOVÁKOVÁ, Květoslava. Morfologie orofaciálního systému pro studenty zubního lékařství [online] . 2. edition. 2011. Available from <https://mefanet.upol.cz/clanky.php?aid=58>. ISBN 978-80-244-2702-7.

References

  • GRIM, Miloš – DRUGA, Rastislav, et al. Základy anatomie, 5.Anatomie krajin těla. 1. edition. Galén, 2002. 119 pp. pp. 96. ISBN 978-80-7262-179-8.