| Posterior triangle of the neck | |
|---|---|
| Posterior triangle | |
| Side of neck, showing chief surface markings. (Nerves are yellow, arteries are red.) | |
| Latin | regio cervicalis lateralis, trigonum cervicale posterius |
| Gray's | subject #145 563 |
The posterior triangle (or lateral cervical region) is a region of the neck.
Contents |
It has the following boundaries:
Apex: Union of the sternocleidomastoid and the trapezius muscles at the superior nuchal line of the occipital bone
Anterior: Posterior border of the sternocleidomastoideus
Posterior: Anterior border of the trapezius
Base: Middle one third of the clavicle
The posterior triangle is crossed, about 2.5 cm above the clavicle, by the inferior belly of the Omohyoideus, which divides the space into two triangles:
A) Nerves and Plexuses:
B) Vessels:
C) Lymph Nodes:
D) Muscles:
The Accessory Nerve (CN XI) is particularly vulnerable to damage at lymph node biopsy, where damage results in an inability to shrug the shoulders or raise the arm above the head (e.g., for brushing hair).
The external jugular vein's superficial location also makes it vulnerable to injury.
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
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