The deep cervical fascia (or fascia colli in older texts) lies under cover of the Platysma, and invests the neck; it also forms sheaths for the carotid vessels, and for the structures situated in front of the vertebral column. Image File history File links Gray384. ... Elseviers logo Elsevier, the worlds largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. ... The platysma is a superficial muscle that stretches from the clavicle to the mandible overlapping the sternocleidomastoid. ... In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries. ... The vertebral column seen from the side Different regions (curvatures) of the vertebral column The vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of vertebrae situated in the dorsal aspect of the abdomen. ...

The investing portion of the fascia is attached behind to the ligamentum nuchæ and to the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra. The Nuchal ligament is a fibrous membrane, which, in the neck, represents the supraspinal ligaments of the lower vertebræ. It extends from the external occipital protuberance and median nuchal line to the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra. ... A diagram of a thoracic vertebra. ...

It forms a thin investment to the Trapezius, and at the anterior border of this muscle is continued forward as a rather loose areolar layer, covering the posterior triangle of the neck, to the posterior border of the Sternocleidomastoideus, where it begins to assume the appearance of a fascial membrane. Trapezius In human anatomy, the trapezius is a large superficial muscle on a persons back. ... The posterior triangle (or lateral cervical region) is bounded, in front, by the Sternocleidomastoideus; behind, by the anterior margin of the Trapezius; its base is formed by the middle third of the clavicle; its apex, by the occipital bone. ... In human anatomy, the sternocleidomastoid muscles are muscles in the neck that act to flex and rotate the head. ...

Along the hinder edge of the Sternocleidomastoideus it divides to enclose the muscle, and at the anterior margin again forms a single lamella, which covers the anterior triangle of the neck, and reaches forward to the middle line, where it is continuous with the corresponding part from the opposite side of the neck. Gill may refer to one of the following. ... The anterior triangle is bounded, in front, by the middle line of the neck; behind, by the anterior margin of the Sternocleidomastoideus; its base, directed upward, is formed by the lower border of the body of the mandible, and a line extending from the angle of the mandible to the...

In the middle line of the neck it is attached to the symphysis menti and the body of the hyoid bone. The external surface of the mandible is marked in the median line by a faint ridge, indicating the Symphysis menti or line of junction of the two pieces of which the bone is composed at an early period of life. ... The hyoid bone (Os Hyoideum; Lingual Bone) is a bone in the human neck, not articulated to any other bone; it is supported by the muscles of the neck and in turn supports the root of the tongue. ...

Above

Above, the fascia is attached to the superior nuchal line of the occipital, to the mastoid process of the temporal, and to the whole length of the inferior border of the body of the mandible. The word occipital refers to several areas of the human body in the occiput, the rear of the skull: Occipital bun Occipital lobe Occipital bone Lesser occipital nerve Greater occipital nerve This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... The mastoid process (or mastoid bone) is a conical bump of the posterior portion of the temporal bone that is situated behind the ear in humans and many other vertebrates and serves as a site of neck muscle attachment (the Sternocleidomastoid, Splenius capitis, and Longissimus capitis). ... For alternate uses of time, see Time (disambiguation) or see TIME (magazine). ...

Opposite the angle of the mandible the fascia is very strong, and binds the anterior edge of the Sternocleidomastoideus firmly to that bone.

Between the mandible and the mastoid process it ensheathes the parotid gland—the layer which covers the gland extends upward under the name of the parotideomasseteric fascia and is fixed to the zygomatic arch. The parotid gland is the largest of the salivary glands. ... The zygomatic bone (also known as the zygoma; Os Zygomaticum; Malar Bone) is a paired bone of the human skull. ...

From the part which passes under the parotid gland a strong band extends upward to the styloid process, forming the stylomandibular ligament.

Two other bands may be defined: the sphenomandibular and the pterygospinous ligaments. The sphenomandibular ligament (internal lateral ligament) is a flat, thin band which is attached above to the spina angularis of the sphenoid bone, and, becoming broader as it descends, is fixed to the lingula of the mandibular foramen. ...

The pterygospinous ligament stretches from the upper part of the posterior border of the lateral pterygoid plate to the spinous process of the sphenoid. The lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid (or lateral lamina of pterygoid process) is broad, thin, and everted; its lateral surface forms part of the medial wall of the infratemporal fossa, and gives attachment to the Pterygoideus externus; its medial surface forms part of the pterygoid fossa, and gives attachment...

It occasionally ossifies, and in such cases, between its upper border and the base of the skull, a foramen is formed which transmits the branches of the mandibular nerve to the muscles of mastication. Mastication or chewing is the process by which food is torn and/or crushed by teeth. ...

Below

Below, the fascia is attached to the acromion, the clavicle, and the manubrium sterni. The acromion process, or simply the acromion, is an anatomical feature on the scapula. ... Collarbone and collar bone redirect here. ... The manubrium (or manubrium sterni) is the broad, upper part of the sternum. ...

Some little distance above the last it splits into two layers, superficial and deep.

The former is attached to the anterior border of the manubrium, the latter to its posterior border and to the interclavicular ligament.

Between these two layers is a slit-like interval, the suprasternal space (space of Burns); it contains a small quantity of areolar tissue, the lower portions of the anterior jugular veins and their transverse connecting branch, the sternal heads of the Sternocleidomastoidei, and sometimes a lymph gland. The anterior jugular vein begins near the hyoid bone by the confluence of several superficial veins from the submaxillary region. ... In mammals including humans, the lymphatic vessels (or lymphatics) are a network of thin tubes that branch, like blood vessels, into tissues throughout the body. ...

Processes

The fascia which lines the deep surface of the Sternocleidomastoideus gives off the following processes:

1: process

A process envelops the tendon at the Omohyoideus, and binds it down to the sternum and first costal cartilage. The omohyoid muscle is a muscle at the front of the neck that consists of two bellies separated by an intermediate tendon. ... The costal cartilages are bars of hyaline cartilage which serve to prolong the ribs forward and contribute very materially to the elasticity of the walls of the thorax. ...

2: carotid sheath

A strong sheath, the carotid sheath, encloses the carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and vagus nerve. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In human anatomy, the carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ... The external and internal jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava. ... The vagus nerve (also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X) is the tenth of twelve paired cranial nerves, and is the only nerve that starts in the brainstem (within the medulla oblongata) and extends, through the jugular foramen, down below the head, to the abdomen. ...

3: prevertebral fascia

The prevertebral fascia extends medialward behind the carotid vessels, where it assists in forming their sheath, and passes in front of the prevertebral muscles.

It forms the posterior limit of a fibrous compartment, which contains the larynx and trachea, the thyroid gland, and the pharynx and esophagus. The esophagus (also spelled oesophagus/Å“sophagus), or gullet is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the mouth area to the stomach. ...

The prevertebral fascia is fixed above to the base of the skull, and below is continued into the thorax in front of the Longus colli muscles. The Longus colli muscle is a muscle of the human body. ...

Parallel to the carotid sheath and along its medial aspect the prevertebral fascia gives off a thin lamina, the buccopharyngeal fascia, which closely invests the Constrictor muscles of the pharynx, and is continued forward from the Constrictor pharyngis superior on to the Buccinator. Grays Fig. ... Buccinator The buccinator is a muscle of which the bulk of is located in the cheeks. ...

It is attached to the prevertebral layer by loose connective tissue only, and thus an easily distended space, the retropharyngeal space, is found between them. The buccopharyngeal fascia is attached to the prevertebral layer by loose connective tissue only, and thus an easily distended space, the retropharyngeal space, is found between them. ...

This space is limited above by the base of the skull, while below it extends behind the esophagus into the posterior mediastinal cavity of the thorax. It has been suggested that temporal fenestra be merged into this article or section. ... The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax (chest), surrounded by loose connective tissue. ... Diagram of a tsetse fly, showing the head, thorax and abdomen The thorax is a division of an animals body that lies between the head and the abdomen. ...

The prevertebral fascia is prolonged downward and lateralward behind the carotid vessels and in front of the Scaleni, and forms a sheath for the brachial nerves and subclavian vessels in the posterior triangle of the neck; it is continued under the clavicle as the axillary sheath and is attached to the deep surface of the coracoclavicular fascia. The scalene muscles are a group of three pairs of muscles in the lateral neck, namely the anterior scalene, middle scalene, and posterior scalene. ... The clavipectoral fascia (costocoracoid membrane; coracoclavicular fascia) is a strong fascia situated under cover of the clavicular portion of the Pectoralis major. ...

Immediately above and behind the clavicle an areolar space exists between the investing layer and the sheath of the subclavian vessels, and in this space are found the lower part of the external jugular vein, the descending clavicular nerves, the transverse scapular and transverse cervical vessels, and the inferior belly of the Omohyoideus muscle.

This space is limited below by the fusion of the coracoclavicular fascia with the anterior wall of the axillary sheath. The first portion of the axillary artery is enclosed, together with the axillary vein and the brachial plexus, in a fibrous sheath—the axillary sheath—continuous above with the deep cervical fascia. ...

4: pretrachial fascia

The pretrachial fascia extends medially in front of the carotid vessels, and assists in forming the carotid sheath. In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

It is continued behind the depressor muscles of the hyoid bone, and, after enveloping the thyroid gland, is prolonged in front of the trachea to meet the corresponding layer of the opposite side. The hyoid bone (Os Hyoideum; Lingual Bone) is a bone in the human neck, not articulated to any other bone; it is supported by the muscles of the neck and in turn supports the root of the tongue. ...

Above, it is fixed to the hyoid bone, while below it is carried downward in front of the trachea and large vessels at the root of the neck, and ultimately blends with the fibrous pericardium. The pericardium is a double-walled sac that contains the heart and the roots of the great vessels. ...

This layer is fused on either side with the prevertebral fascia, and with it completes the compartment containing the larynx and trachea, the thyroid gland, and the pharynx and esophagus.

External links

• Sagittal Section Showing Deep Cervical Fascial Layers
• Infrahyoid Cross-Section Showing Layers of Deep Cervical Fascia
• Suprahyoid Cross-Section Showing Layers of Deep Cervical Fascia

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... An illustration from the 1918 edition Henry Grays Anatomy of the Human Body, commonly known as Grays Anatomy, is an anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on human anatomy. ...