Prevertebral fascia

Prevertebral fascia
Prevertebral fascia labeled in red, both according to older literature (e.g. Gray's) and newer literature . Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. Showing the arrangement of the fascia coli.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	lamina prevertebralis fasciae cervicalis
TA	A04.2.05.006
FMA	46560
Anatomical terminology []

The prevertebral fascia (or prevertebral layer of cervical fascia) is a fascia in the neck.

In some literature, the prevertebral fascia also includes the rest of the fascia extending around the vertebral column and enclosing all muscles laterally and posteriorly to it. However, in this article, it is assumed to be as marked in the corresponding picture.

The prevertebral fascia extends medially behind the carotid vessels, where it assists in forming their sheath, and passes in front of the prevertebral muscles.

The prevertebral fascia is fixed above to the base of the skull, and below it extends behind the esophagus into the posterior mediastinal cavity of the thorax. It descends in front of the longus colli muscles.

The prevertebral fascia is prolonged downward and laterally behind the carotid vessels and in front of the scalene muscles, and forms a sheath for the brachial nerves and subclavian vessels in the posterior triangle of the neck; it is continued under the clavicle as the axillary sheath and is attached to the deep surface of the coracoclavicular fascia.

It forms the posterior limit of a fibrous compartment, which contains the larynx and trachea, the thyroid gland, and the pharynx and esophagus.

Parallel to the carotid sheath and along its medial aspect the prevertebral fascia gives off a thin lamina, the buccopharyngeal fascia, which closely invests the constrictor muscles of the pharynx, and is continued forward from the constrictor pharyngis superior on to the buccinator. This is attached to the prevertebral layer by loose connective tissue only, and thus an easily distended space, the retropharyngeal space, is found between them.