ANAT 517
Module 5 Writing Assignment
The human neck can be divided into an anterior and posterior triangle, with important nerves,
muscles, and blood vessels that course through each.
● Which structures make up the boundaries of the anterior triangle of the neck?
○ The anterior triangle of the neck is founded on the front of the neck. Superiorly,
you can find the mandible (jawbone) as the inferior border of the triangle.
Laterally, there is the sternocleidomastoid as the anterior border. Lastly,
medially, down the sagittal line down borders the midline of the neck.
● What are the important blood vessels and nerves that traverse the posterior triangle
of the neck?
○ Nerves:
■ CN XI (accessory nerve)
■ Cervical plexus
■ Great auricular nerve
■ Roots and trunks of brachial plexus
○ Blood Vessel
■ External jugular vein
■ Subclavian artery
■ Transverse cervical artery
■ Suprascapular artery
Clinical Case: A 25-year-old male presents to the Emergency Department with a knife injury to
the neck. On imaging, you notice the carotid sheath has been injured at the level of the injury.
● Which structures are at greatest risk of injury?
○ The carotid sheath contains the common and internal carotid arteries, internal
jugular vein, and the vagus nerve. Therefore, those structures are at the greatest
risk of injury.
● If this injury occurred at the superior cervical ganglion instead, how may the patient
be affected?
○ The superior cervical ganglion is the only ganglion that supplies the head and
neck. Therefore an injury to this structure could affect them greatly. It's also
important to note that this is positioned anatomically posteriorly to the carotid
artery and anterior to the c1-4 vertebrae.
○ There is a disorder known as Horner’s syndrome which occurs when there is
damage to the sympathetic autonomic nervous pathway in the head (and in this
case, potentially the superior cervical ganglion). With Horner’s syndrome, there
becomes a disrupted nerve pathway on one side from the brain to the face and
eyes. That being said, a person may deal with drooping of the upper eyelids, a
constriction of the pupil, and not being able to produce sweat on the face.
References:
[1] "Anterior Triangle Of The Neck - Subdivisions - Teachmeanatomy". Teachmeanatomy.Info,
2019, https://teachmeanatomy.info/neck/areas/anterior-triangle/.
[2] "Sympathetic Innervation To The Head And Neck - Anatomy - Ganglia - Teachmeanatomy".
Teachmeanatomy.Info, https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/nerves/sympathetic/.