1. Overview

 1.1 Regions and Palpable Bony Landmarks

A Head and neck regions

 Right anterior view.

B Head and neck regions

 Right posterior view.

C Head and neck regions

Head regions

Neck regions

• Frontal region

• Parietal region

• Occipital region

• Temporal region

• Auricular region

• Mastoid region

• Facial region

  • Orbital region

  • Infraorbital region

  • Buccal region

  • Parotid-masseteric region

  • Zygomatic region

  • Nasal region

  • Oral region

  • Mental region

• Anterior cervical regions

  • Submandibular triangle

  • Carotid triangle

  • Muscular (omotracheal) triangle

  • Submental triangle

• Sternocleidomastoid region

  • Lesser supraclavicular fossa

• Lateral cervical region

  • Omoclavicular triangle (major supraclavicular fossa)

• Posterior cervical region

The regions of the head and neck are clinically important since they can exhibit many skin lesions, the location of which must be precisely described. This is particularly important for skin cancer given that the tissue fluid, through which the tumor cells spread, drains into different groups of lymph nodes named for their location.

D Regions of the neck (cervical regions)

 a Right lateral view, b left posterior oblique view.

These neck muscles are easily visible and palpable making them suitable as landmarks for a topographical classification of the neck.

 E Palpable bony landmarks at the head and neck

 a Frontal view.

 b Dorsal view.

 1.2 Head and Neck and Cervical Fasciae

The head and neck form an anatomical and functional unit with the neck connecting the head and the trunk. The neck contains many pathways to which the cervical viscera are indirectly attached. In the head however, there is only visceral fascia around the parotid gland but no general fasciae. Multiple fascial layers subdivide the neck into compartments which will be referred to when describing the location of structures within the neck.

A Sequence of topics in this chaper about the head and neck

Overview

• Regions and palpable bony landmarks

• Head and neck with cervical fasciae

• Clinical anatomy of the head and neck

• Embryology of the face

• Embryology of the neck

Bones

• Cranial bones

• Teeth

• Cervical spine

• Ligaments

• Joints

Muscles

• Muscles of facial expression

• Masticatory muscles

• Neck muscles

Classification of pathways

• Arteries

• Veins

• Lymphatics

• Nerves

Organs and their pathways

• Ear

• Eye

• Nose

• Oral cavity

• Pharynx

• Parotid gland

• Larynx

• Thyroid and parathyroid glands

Topographical anatomy

• Anterior facial region

• Neck, anterior view, superficial layers

• Neck, anterior view, deep layers

• Lateral head: superficial layer

• Lateral head: middle and deeper layer

• Infratemporal fossa

• Pterygopalatine fossa

• Posterior cervical triangle

• Superior thoracic aperture, carotid triangle and deep lateral cervical region

• Posterior neck and occiput regions

• Cross section of the head and neck

  ...