Cervical fascia (Latin)

The fascia investiens superficialis colli is located deep to the tela subcutanea cervicalis and encircles the neck (collum), surrounding the m. trapezius and m. sternocleidomastoideus. This layer of fascia forms one large compartment which contains the other three smaller compartments of the neck.The lamina media fasciae cervicalis profundae is typically divided into fascia musculorum infrahyoideorum and fascia visceralis. The fascia musculorum infrahyoideorum surrounds the mm. infrahyoidei while the fascia visceralis is divided into two parts: a lamina pretrachealis and a lamina buccopharyngea. The lamina profunda fasciae cervicalis profundae also known as fascia prevertebralis is a cylindrical layer of fascia which surrounds the vertebrae cervicales. The fascia prevertebralis passes between the attachment points on the processus transversi of the vertebrae cervicales and splits into two layers forming another sheet of fascia known as the fascia alaris. The fascia alaris forms the anterior layer of the fascia prevertebralis and delimits the posterior margin of the spatium retropharyngeum and the anterior margin of the spatium prevertebrale interfasciale. Formed by contributions from all three layers of fasciae cervicalis profundae is the vagina carotidis. The vagina carotidis extends from the basis cranii caudally to the costa prima. It surrounds the major vascular structures of the neck thereby forming the compartimentum vasculare.