Investing layer of deep cervical fascia

Investing layer of deep cervical fascia
Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. Showing the arrangement of the fascia coli.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	lamina superficialis fasciae cervicalis
TA98	A04.2.05.002
TA2	2207
FMA	57805
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The investing layer of deep cervical fascia is the most superficial part of the deep cervical fascia, and encloses the whole neck.

It is considered by some sources to be incomplete^[1] or nonexistent.^[2]

Attachments

It surrounds the neck like a collar, it splits around the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the trapezius muscle. It is attached as;

Posteriorly - Ligamentum nuchae
Anteriorly - Attached to the hyoid bone
Superiorly - (from backwards to forwards);
- External occipital protuberance and Superior nuchal line of occipital bone
- Mastoid process of Temporal bone
- External acoustic meatus
- Lower margin of the zygomatic arch
- Lower border of body of mandible from the angle of mandible to the symphysis menti
Inferiorly - (from backwards to forwards);
- Spine and acromial process of scapula
- Upper surface of the clavicle
- Suprasternal notch of manubrium sterni^[3]

Tracings

Horizontal extent - From ligamentum nuchae when traced forward, the fascia splits and encloses trapezius, reunites and form roof of posterior triangle of neck; again splits and encloses sternocleidomastoid, reunites and forms the roof of anterior triangle.
Vertical extent -
- Superior tracing - It splits and encloses submandibular gland and parotid gland;

 - It splits at lower border of submandibular gland into superficial and deep layers;which attach to lower body of body of mandible and mylohyoid line of mandible
 - It splits at lower pole of parotid gland into superficial and deep layers; superficial layer attaches to zygomatic arch and forms parotido-masseteric fascia after blending with masseter, deep layer attaches to tympanic plate and styloid process forming the stylomandibular ligament

- Inferior tracing - The fascia splits to enclose two spaces; suprasternal space and supraclavicular space^[4]

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 388 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

^ Zhang M, Lee AS (2002). "The investing layer of the deep cervical fascia does not exist between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles". Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 127 (5): 452–4. doi:10.1067/mhn.2002.129823. PMID 12447241. S2CID 19627402.
^ Nash L, Nicholson HD, Zhang M (2005). "Does the investing layer of the deep cervical fascia exist?". Anesthesiology. 103 (5): 962–8. doi:10.1097/00000542-200511000-00010. PMID 16249670. S2CID 20959436.
^ Dutta, Asim Kumar (2013). Essentials of Human Anatomy Head & Neck. kolkata: Current books international. p. 126. ISBN 978-81-86793-79-4.
^ Dutta, Asim Kumar (2013). Essentials of Human Anatomy Head & Neck. kolkata: Current books international. pp. 126–128. ISBN 978-81-86793-79-4.