Occipital triangle
| Occipital triangle |
|
|
| Posterior triangle of the neck labeled. (Anterior triangles to the left. Occipital triangle labeled at center left.) ) |
|
|
| Side of neck, showing chief surface markings. (Nerves are yellow, arteries are red.) |
| Gray's |
subject #145 565 |
| Dorlands/Elsevier |
t_17/12821113 |
The occipital triangle, the larger division of the posterior triangle, is bounded, in front, by the Sternocleidomastoideus; behind, by the Trapezius; below, by the Omohyoideus.
Its floor is formed from above downward by the Splenius capitis, Levator scapulæ, and the Scaleni medius and posterior.
It is covered by the skin, the superficial and deep fasciæ, and by the Platysma below.
The accessory nerve is directed obliquely across the space from the Sternocleidomastoideus, which it pierces, to the under surface of the Trapezius; below, the supraclavicular nerves and the transverse cervical vessels and the upper part of the brachial plexus cross the space.
A chain of lymph glands is also found running along the posterior border of the Sternocleidomastoideus, from the mastoid process to the root of the neck.
See also
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 As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.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.
|
General anatomy of neck (Throat • Pharynx • Larynx) |
| Cartilages |
Cricoid • Thyroid (Laryngeal prominence) • Epiglottis • Arytenoid • Cuneiform • Corniculate |
| Ligaments |
extrinsic ligaments: Thyrohyoid membrane (Lateral thyrohyoid ligament, Median thyrohyoid ligament) • Hyoepiglottic ligament • Cricotracheal ligament
intrinsic ligaments: Cricothyroid ligament |
| Folds and related structures |
folds: (Glossoepiglottic, Aryepiglottic, Vocal, Vestibular)
Vocal ligament • Ventricle of the larynx • Infraglottic cavity • Vestibule of larynx • Rima glottidis • Glottis |
| Triangles of the neck |
Anterior of the neck (Muscular, Carotid, Submandibular, Submental)
Posterior of the neck (Occipital, Subclavian)
Suboccipital |
| Fascia |
Deep cervical fascia (Pretrachial fascia, Prevertebral fascia, Investing layer) • Carotid sheath • Buccopharyngeal fascia |
| Other |
Retropharyngeal space |
|
Top