Located between the anterior border of the M. sternocleidomastoideus, the mandible, and the jugular fossa, the anterior triangle of the neck in the vicinity of the hyoid bone includes the supra- and infrahyoid musculature, vessels, nerves, and the thyroid gland.
Fascial Layers
In the anterior triangle of the neck, several fascial layers (all belonging to the cervical fascia) are located under the skin, which exhibit certain peculiarities:
- the superficial lamina superficialis surrounds all neck structures except for the platysma and separately envelops the M. sternocleidomastoideus and dorsally the M. trapezius (N. accessorius XI),
- the middle lamina pretrachealis surrounds the infrahyoid musculature
- the deep lamina prevertebralis runs between the esophagus and the spine outside the surgical area.
The trachea and the thyroid gland/parathyroid gland possess, just like the lateral vascular-nerve bundle (A. carotis, V. jugularis interna, and N. vagus), their own organ fascias in addition. Due to the arrangement of the cervical fascias, compartments enclosed by them and spaces in between (spaces) arise, which extend into the mediastinum and represent potential infection pathways.