Posterior Neck - LO7

7. What is the carotid sheath, and what are its contents and associations with other structures of the neck?

The carotid sheath is a condensation of deep cervical fascia that surrounds the major vasculature of the neck. Contents include:

• • Common carotid a. (& the proximal internal carotid a.), medially,

  • Internal jugular v., laterally,

  • Vagus n. (CN X), posteriorly, and

  • Deep cervical lymph nodes and the jugular lymphatic trunk.

The carotid sheath is found:

• • Deep to the SCM m.,

  • Lateral to the larynx, trachea, pharynx, esophagus, & infrahyoid mm.,

  • Posterior to the ansa cervicalis (sometimes ansa is embedded within the sheath), and

  • Anterolateral to the cervical sympathetic trunk.