Anatomy of the

Head and Neck

 Subjects
Introduction 1
 Head components
 Neck components
 Triangles of neck
Introduction
• In these lectures we will
study the anatomy of H&N.
• The head and neck are
anatomically complex
areas of the body.

• You will have fun in

studying anatomy in this
way !
Head components
• The head is composed
of a series of
compartments , which
are formed by bone
and soft tissues.
• They are:
1. the cranial cavity,
1
2. two ears,
3. two orbits , 3
4. two nasal cavities, and 4 2

5. an oral cavity 5
Cranial cavity
• The cranial cavity is the
largest compartment and
contains the brain and Roof
associated membranes
(meninges) .
• Most of the ear
apparatus on each side is
contained within one of
the bones forming the
floor of the cranial cavity.
• The external parts of the
ears extend laterally Floor
from these regions.
• Simply, it Composed of a
roof and floor.
Orbits
• The two orbits contain
the eyes.
• They are cone-shaped
chambers immediately
inferior to the anterior
aspect of the cranial
cavity, and the apex of
each cone is directed
posteromedially.
• The walls of the orbits
are bone, whereas the
base of each chamber
can be opened and
closed by the eyelids.
 Nasal cavity nostrils

• The nasal cavities are the upper

parts of the respiratory tract and are conchae

between the orbits .

• They have walls, floors, and ceilings,
which are predominantly composed
of bone and cartilage.
• The anterior openings to the nasal
• cavities are nares (nostrils) , and the
posterior openings are choanae
(posterior nasal apertures).
• Continuous with the nasal cavities
are air-filled extensions (paranasal
sinuses) ( arrowed ), which project
laterally, superiorly, and posteriorly
into surrounding bones . The
largest, the maxillary sinuses, are
inferior to the orbits.
Oral cavity
• The oral cavity is inferior to the
nasal cavities, and separated
from them by the hard and soft
palates.
• The floor of the oral cavity is
formed entirely of soft tissues . Hard palate

• The anterior opening to the oral

cavity is the oral fissure (mouth),
and the posterior opening is the
oropharyngeal isthmus.
• Unlike the nares and choanae,
which are continuously open,
both the oral fissure and
oropharyngeal isthmus can be
opened and closed by
surrounding soft tissues.
Other compartments
• In addition to these five compartments there is
also four areas.
• Two of them related to a transitional areas which
are:
1. infratemporal fossa
2. pterygopalatine fossa
• The other two related to the surface anatomy of
the head which are :
1. the scalp
2. The face
 infratemporal fossa
• The infratemporal fossa is
an area between the
posterior aspect (ramus) of
the mandible and a flat
region of bone (lateral plate
of the pterygoid process)
just posterior to the upper
jaw (maxilla) .
• This fossa, bounded by
bone and soft tissues, is a
conduit for one of the major
cranial nerves-the
mandibular nerve (the
mandibular division of the
trigeminal nerve [V3] ) ,
which passes between the
cranial and oral cavities.
Infratemporal fossa
 pterygopalatine fossa
• The pterygopalatine fossa
on each side is just
posterior to the upper jaw.
This small fossa
communicates with the
cranial cavity, the
infratemporal fossa, the
orbit, the nasal cavity, and
the oral cavity.
• A major structure passing
through the pterygopalatine
fossa is the maxillary nerve
(the maxillary division o f
the trigeminal nerve [ V 2 ] )
.
Face and scalp
• The face is the anterior Scalp
aspect of the head and
contains a unique
group of muscles that
move the skin relative
to underlying bone and
control the anterior
openings to the orbits
and oral cavity.
• The scalp covers the face

superior, posterior, and

lateral regions of the
head
 The Neck
• Its superior boundary is along the
inferior margins of the mandible and
bone features on the posterior aspect
of the skull.
• The posterior neck is higher than the
anterior neck to connect cervical
viscera with the posterior openings of
the nasal and oral cavities.
• The inferior boundary of the neck
extends from the top of the sternum,
along the clavicle, and onto the
adjacent acromion, a bony projection
of the scapula.
• Posteriorly, the inferior limit of the
neck is less well defined, but can be
approximated by a line between the
acromion and the spinous process of
vertebra C7, which is prominent and
easily palpable.
• The inferior border of the neck
encloses the base of the neck.
Neck compartments
1. The vertebral compartment
contains the cervical vertebrae
and associated postural muscles.
2. The visceral compartment
2
contains important glands
(thyroid, parathyroid, and
3 3
thymus) , and parts of the
respiratory and digestive tracts
that pass between the head and 1
thorax.
3. The two vascular compartments,
one on each side, contain the
maj or blood vessels and the
vagus nerve.
• These four compartments are
enclosed by musculofascial collar
Triangles of Neck
• The two muscles (trapezius and
sternocleidomastoid) that form part
of the outer cervical collar divide the
neck into anterior and posterior
triangles on each side.
• The boundaries of each anterior
triangle are:
1. the median vertical line of the neck,
2. the inferior margin of the mandible,
and
3. the anterior margin of the Anterior T.

Posterior T.
sternocleidomastoid muscle.
• The posterior triangle is bounded by:
1. the middle one-third of the clavicle,
2. the anterior margin of the trapezius ,
and
3. the posterior margin of the
sternocleidomastoid.