Compartments and spaces of the neck (Latin)

The compartimentum viscerale colli is surrounded by fascia visceralis, specifically the fascia pretrachealis anterolaterally and fascia buccopharyngea posteriorly. It extends from the superior part of the os hyoideum superiorly to the mediastinum superius inferiorly. It is the most anteriorly located compartment of the neck (collum). Posterior to the compartimentum visceralis is the large compartimentum vertebrale colli. This compartment is surrounded posterolaterally by fascia prevertebralis and anteriorly by fascia alaris. It is attached superiorly as a continuous circle from the base of the skull (basis cranii) and extends to the mediastinum superius inferiorly.The paired compartmentia vascularia (a.k.a. spatia carotica), formed by the vaginae carotides, house the large vascular channels of the neck (a. carotis communis, v. jugularis interna). Each compartimentum vasculare extends from the basis cranii to the arcus aortae within the cavitas thoracis. Between the lamina superficialis fasciae cervicalis profundae and fasica pretrachealis is the most anteriorly located fascial space, the spatium pretracheale. It extends from the cartilago thyroidea superiorly to reach the mediastinum superious inferiorly. The fascia buccopharyngea, together with the vagina carotidis and fascia alaris of the lamina profunda fasciae cervicalis profundae, form a fat filled space known as the spatium retropharyngeum. The spatium prevertebrale interfasciale (danger space) which lies between the fasciae alaris and prevertebralis is located just anterior to the corpora of the vertebrae cervicales and spans from the basis cranii to the mediastinum posterius where the laminae prevertebrales of fascia cervicalis profundae fuse. The spatium prevertebrale interfasciale is so called as its loose areolar tissue provides a route of passage for the rapid down spread of infection from the neck to the thorax. The spatium retropharyngeum and spatium prevertebrale interfasciale extend from the basis cranii superiorly to the mediastinum posterius inferiorly.