Arteries in the posterior cervical triangle in man

Due to frequent changes in the anatomical nomenclature of the arteries in the posterior cervical triangle (lateral cervical region), anatomical and surgical papers relating to these topics are sometimes difficult to understand and are hard to compare. These changes, coupled with improper knowledge of the gross anatomy and nomenclature of the arteries in the posterior cervical triangle, have presented difficulties in musculocutaneous flap planning, especially in plastic and reconstructive surgery. As an illustration of this concern, the term, transverse cervical artery (A. transversa colli [cervicis]), and its associated branches, have been used frequently over the past several decades with different meanings. In an effort to address this nomenclature challenge and to offer a rational basis for arguing specific name changes, a total of 498 neck-halves were investigated in Graz, Innsbruck, and Munich. Lateral neck dissections were carried out to expose the subclavian artery and those branches destined for the posterior cervical triangle, specifically, the superficial cervical artery, the dorsal scapular artery, and the suprascapular artery. The course of these arteries and details of their origins and branching patterns were documented. Several arose either as direct branches or from trunks. The convention used in labeling trunks was similar to that described for other trunk formations in the body (e.g., linguo-facial trunk). Four trunks were observed and named according to the branches that arose from each. A cervico-dorsal trunk gave origin to the superficial cervical and dorsal scapular arteries, and was found in 30% of cases. A cervico-scapular trunk gave rise to the superficial cervical and suprascapular arteries in 22% of cases, and a dorso-scapular trunk provided origins for the dorsal scapular and suprascapular arteries in 4% of cases. A cervico-dorso-scapular trunk gave origin to the superficial cervical artery, the dorsal scapular artery, and the suprascapular artery, and was found in 24% of cases. Each of these trunks, in turn, arose from either the subclavian artery or from the thyrocervical trunk. This labeling convention necessitated omitting the term, transverse cervical artery, because this term has become inherently imprecise and variously used over the years. This study describes a simple, uniform, and rational basis for standardizing the nomenclature of the arteries in the posterior cervical triangle.