MUSCLES OF BACK &SUBOCCIPITAL TRIANGLE

DR VANI PC

Above-External occipital protuberance

& superior nuchal line

below – Spine of c7 vertebrae

Back of Neck-Extent

The back of neck consists of four layers

Skin

Superficial fascia

Deep fascia

Muscles

Back of Neck-Layers

Back of neck- skin

Back of neck- superficial fascia

The cutaneous nerves

Greater occipital

Third occipital

The cutaneous vessels

Occipital artery

Twigs of vertebral artery

Muscles are arranged

as

Superficial group

Deep Group

Back of neck- Muscles

SUPERFICIAL GROUP

First layer - Trapezius

Second layer – Levator scapulae

DEEP GROUP

Superficial : Splenius Capitis, Splenius

Cervices

Intermediate : Longissimus Capitis

Deep : Semispinalis Capitis

Deepest layer : Suboccipital muscles

SUBOCCIPITAL MUSCLES

Rectus capitis posterior minor

Rectus capitis posterior major

Obliquus capitis inferior

Obliquus capitis superior

SUBOCCIPITAL TRIANGLE

Approach to Suboccipital triangle

Superomedially : Rectus capitis posterior

major & minor

Superolaterally : Obliquus capitis

superior

Inferiorly : Obliquus capitis inferior

Boundaries

Roof:

Semispinalis capitis

Floor:

Posterior atlanto-occipital

membrane

Posterior arch of atlas

Boundaries

Suboccipital nerve:

(Dorsal ramus of C1)

III part of Vertebral artery

Sub occipital venous plexus

Contents

Cisternal puncture

It is a procedure to approach cisterna magna in the posterior cranial fossa through the foramen magnum

To obtain CSF

Via the Suboccipital triangle

By piercing the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane

Applied aspects