Cervical fascia (English)

The superficial layer of deep cervical fascia is located deep to the superficial cervical fascia and encircles the neck, surrounding the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. This layer of fascia forms one large compartment which contains the other three smaller compartments of the neck.The middle layer of deep cervical fascia is typically divided into muscular (infrahyoid) and visceral fasciae. The muscular or infrahyoid fascia surrounds the infrahyoid (strap) muscles while the visceral fascia is divided into two parts: a pretracheal layer and a buccopharyngeal layer. The deep layer of deep cervical fascia also known as prevertebral fascia is a cylindrical layer of fascia which surrounds the cervical vertebra. Prevertebral fascia passes between the attachment points on the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae and splits into two layers forming another sheet of fascia known as alar fascia. Alar fascia forms the anterior layer of the prevertebral fascia and delimits the posterior margin of the retropharyngeal space and the anterior margin of the danger space. Formed by contributions from all three layers of deep cervical fascia is the carotid sheath. The carotid sheath extends from the base of the skull caudally to the first rib. It surrounds the major vascular structures of the neck thereby forming the vascular compartment.