Triangles of the Neck: Difference between revisions

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The Anterior Triangle has an apex that extends to the manubrium of sternum. It is made up of three paired triangles: submandibular (digastric), carotid, and muscular (omotracheal/infrahyoid) triangles, and one unpaired triangle: submental triangle.
''The Anterior Triangle has an apex that extends to the manubrium of sternum. It is made up of three paired triangles: submandibular (digastric), carotid, and muscular (omotracheal/infrahyoid) triangles, and one unpaired triangle: submental triangle.''


=== Submandibular/Digastric Triangle ===
=== Submandibular/Digastric Triangle ===
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=== Muscular Triangle ===
=== Muscular Triangle ===
Borders:<ref name=":0" />
Borders:<ref name=":0" /><ref>Standring S. Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. 41st ed. London: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2015.</ref>


* Anterior- midline of neck
** Anterior- midline of neck
* Inferoposterior- anterior margin of the SCM  
* Inferoposterior- anterior margin of the SCM  
* Posterosuperior- superior belly of the omohyoid muscle
* Posterosuperior- superior belly of the omohyoid muscle
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== Posterior Triangle ==
== Posterior Triangle ==
Borders:<ref name=":0" />
* Anterior - posterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle
* Posterior - anterior margin of trapezius muscle
* Inferior - middle one-third of clavicle
''Two subdivisions are formed within the posterior triangle: Occipital Triangle and Subclavian/Supraclavicular Triangle''


=== Occipital Triangle ===
=== Occipital Triangle ===
Borders:<ref name=":0" />
* Anterior - posterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle
* Posterior - anterior margin of trapezius muscle
* Inferior - inferior belly of omohyoid muscle
Floor: levator scapulae, splenius capitis, and middle and posterior scalene muscles
Contents:
* Artery: transverse cervical artery
* Lymphatics: Accessory lymph nodes and inferior deep lateral cervical lymph nodes
* Nerves: Accessory nerve (CN XI), cutaneous and muscular branches of the cervical plexus, upper most part of brachial plexus, supraclavicular nerves
=== Subclavian/Supraclavicular/Omoclavicular Triangle ===
Borders: <ref name=":0" />
* Superior - inferior belly of omohyoid muscle
* Anterior -  posterior edge of sternocleidomastoid muscle
* Inferior - clavicle


=== Subclavian/Supraclavicular Triangle ===
Contents: <ref name=":0" />


== Clinical Significance ==
* Blood vessels: subclavian artery and vein
* Nerves: brachial plexus trunks and nerve to subclavius muscle
* Lymphatics: supraclavicular lymph nodes

Revision as of 17:34, 28 December 2022

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Description[edit | edit source]

[1]

The neck, as a geometric region, can be clinically divided using anatomical triangles. The sternocleidomastoid muscle obliquely crosses the neck to form the division between the two major neck triangles: anterior triangle and posterior triangle. Both triangles are further divided into sub-triangles: [2][3]

  1. Anterior Triangle
    • Digastric/Submandibular Triangle
    • Carotid Triangle
    • Muscular Triangle
    • Submental Triangle
  2. Posterior Triangle
    • Occipital Triangle
    • Subclavian/Supraclavicular


The neck is limited[2]:

  • superiorly by the inferior border of the mandible
  • anteriorly by midline of the neck
  • inferiorly by the superior border of the clavicle
  • posteriorly by the anterior margin of the trapezius muscle.

Anterior Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2][4]

  • Superior border - inferior border of mandible
  • Medial border- midline of neck
  • Lateral border- anterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle


The Anterior Triangle has an apex that extends to the manubrium of sternum. It is made up of three paired triangles: submandibular (digastric), carotid, and muscular (omotracheal/infrahyoid) triangles, and one unpaired triangle: submental triangle.

Submandibular/Digastric Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2][5]

  • Superior - inferior border of mandible
  • Anterior - anterior belly of digastric muscle
  • Posterior - posterior belly of digastric muscle
  • Inferior - hyoid bone

Floor: mylohyoid muscle

Contents:[2]

  • Glands and lymphatics: submandibular gland and lymph nodes, lower pole of the parotid gland.
  • Blood vessels: facial, lingual and submental arteries and veins
  • Nerves: marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve, nerve to the mylohyoid, hypoglossal nerve (CN XII), and the

Carotid Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2]

  • Superior - stylohyoid and posterior belly of digastric muscles
  • Anterior - superior belly of omohyoid muscle
  • Posterior - anterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle

Floor: hyoglossus, thyrohyoid, and inferior and middle pharyngeal constrictor muscles


Contents:[2]

  • Arteries: common carotid and its bifurcation into internal and external carotid arteries, superior thyroid, lingual, facial, occipital, and ascending pharyngeal arteries
  • Veins: internal jugular, superior thyroid, lingual, facial, ascending pharyngeal, and occipital veins
  • Nerves: external and internal branches of the superior laryngeal nerve arising from the vagus nerve (CN X), hypoglossal nerve (CN XII).

Muscular Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2][6]

    • Anterior- midline of neck
  • Inferoposterior- anterior margin of the SCM
  • Posterosuperior- superior belly of the omohyoid muscle


Contents:[2]

  • Blood vessels: superior thyroid artery, anterior jugular and inferior thyroid veins
  • Lymphatics: anterior cervical, infrahyoid, prelaryngeal, thyroid, pretracheal, paratracheal lymph nodes
  • Muscles: thyrohyoid, sternothyroid, sternohyoid, omohyoid muscles
  • Nerves: ansa cervicalis (C1-3)
  • Organs: esophagus, trachea, thyroid gland, and the lower part of the larynx.


Submental Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2]

  • Inferior - hyoid bone
  • Lateral - anterior belly of digastric muscle
  • Medial - midline of neck

Floor: mylohyoid muscle

Contents:[2]

  • submental lymph nodes
  • anterior jugular vein

Posterior Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2]

  • Anterior - posterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle
  • Posterior - anterior margin of trapezius muscle
  • Inferior - middle one-third of clavicle


Two subdivisions are formed within the posterior triangle: Occipital Triangle and Subclavian/Supraclavicular Triangle

Occipital Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders:[2]

  • Anterior - posterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle
  • Posterior - anterior margin of trapezius muscle
  • Inferior - inferior belly of omohyoid muscle

Floor: levator scapulae, splenius capitis, and middle and posterior scalene muscles

Contents:

  • Artery: transverse cervical artery
  • Lymphatics: Accessory lymph nodes and inferior deep lateral cervical lymph nodes
  • Nerves: Accessory nerve (CN XI), cutaneous and muscular branches of the cervical plexus, upper most part of brachial plexus, supraclavicular nerves

Subclavian/Supraclavicular/Omoclavicular Triangle[edit | edit source]

Borders: [2]

  • Superior - inferior belly of omohyoid muscle
  • Anterior -  posterior edge of sternocleidomastoid muscle
  • Inferior - clavicle


Contents: [2]

  • Blood vessels: subclavian artery and vein
  • Nerves: brachial plexus trunks and nerve to subclavius muscle
  • Lymphatics: supraclavicular lymph nodes
  1. ↑ 5MinuteSchool. TRIANGLES OF THE NECK ANATOMY MADE EASY - EXPLAINED in 3 MINUTES!! CERVICAL TRIANGLES. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUvmlf3Wxng [last accessed 05/11/2020]
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Kikuta S, Iwanaga J, Kusukawa J, Tubbs RS. Triangles of the neck: a review with clinical/surgical applications. Anatomy & Cell Biology. 2019 Jun 1;52(2):120-7.
  3. ↑ Kohan EJ, Wirth GA. Anatomy of the neck. Clinics in plastic surgery. 2014 Jan 1;41(1):1-6.
  4. ↑ Stathakios J, Carron MA. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Neck Triangle. InStatPearls [Internet] 2021 Jul 31. StatPearls Publishing.
  5. ↑ Casale J, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Submandibular Triangle. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2022. PMID: 30521254.
  6. ↑ Standring S. Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. 41st ed. London: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2015.
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