Identify the areas and structures marked A-I on the image
View answer
Name the boundaries of the occipital triangle.
"
Anterior : Posterior border of sternocleidomastoid
Posterior : Anterior border of trapezius
Inferior : Inferior belly of omohyoid
"
What are the contents of the occipital triangle?
"
Arteries : Transverse cervical artery
Vein : External jugular vein
Nerves : Spinal accessory nerve, cutaneous branches of the cervical plexus, upper trunk of brachial plexus (deep)
Other : Occipital lymph nodes
"
Name the boundaries of the supraclavicular (subclavian) triangle.
"
Anterior : Posterior border of sternocleidomastoid
Posterior/Superior : Inferior belly of omohyoid
Inferior : Clavicle
"
What are the contents of the supraclavicular (subclavian) triangle?
Arteries : Subclavian artery, suprascapular artery
Veins : Subclavian vein
Nerves : Lower trunk of brachial plexus
Others : Supraclavicular lymph nodes, apex of the lung and phrenic nerve medially, and the thoracic duct on the left side
What are the differential diagnoses of a swelling in the anterior triangle of the neck?
"
- Thyroglossal cyst
- Salivary gland swellings
- Branchial cyst
- Thyroid pathologies
- Carotid body tumour
- Skin conditions including malignancies
- Lymphadenopathy
What are the differential diagnoses of a swelling in the posterior triangle of the neck?
Pharyngeal pouch
Cystic hygroma
Cervical rib
Subclavian artery aneurysm
Skin conditions including malignancies
Lymphadenopathy
Describe the risks of inserting a Central Venous Line?
"The risks involved when inserting a central venous line include pain, bleeding, haematoma, infection, pneumothorax, malposition, thrombosis, air embolism and arrhythmias.
"
What is the clinical deficit associated with injury to the spinal accessory nerve?
"
The spinal accessory nerve supplies trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Injury to the nerve therefore results in the inability to shrug the shoulder and rotate the neck to the affected side.
Note: The most common cause injury to the spinal accessory nerve is inadvertent damage to the nerve during lymph node biopsies (of the posterior triangle of the neck) and/or during neck dissections.
"
How would a carotid body tumour present?
"
Most patients with carotid body tumours present with asymptomatic palpable neck masses. Approximately 10% of patients may present with a cranial nerve palsy affecting the hypoglossal, glossopharyngeal, recurrent laryngeal, or spinal accessory nerve, or involvement of the sympathetic chain. Fever of unknown origin is an uncommon sign of carotid body tumour.
"
What are the indications for a carotid endarterectomy
