| Carotid sheath | |
|---|---|
 Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. Showing the arrangement of the fascia coli. Carotid sheath is labeled in red. | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | vagina carotica fasciae cervicalis |
| TA98 | A04.2.05.007 |
| TA2 | 2214 |
| FMA | 46561 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Thecarotid sheath is a condensation of thedeep cervical fascia[1]: 578 enveloping multiple vital neurovascular structures of the neck,[2] including thecommon andinternal carotid arteries, theinternal jugular vein, thevagus nerve (CN X), andansa cervicalis.[1]: 578 [2] The carotid sheath helps protects the structures contained therein.[2]
One carotid sheath is situated on each side of the neck,[3][4]: 266 extending between the base of the skull superiorly[2][4]: 266 and the thorax inferiorly.[4]: 266
Superiorly, the carotid sheath encircles the margins of thecarotid canal andjugular foramen.[2]
Inferiorly, it terminates at thearch of the aorta;[2] it is continuous inferiorly with theaxillary sheath at thevenous angle.[3] Its inferior end occurs at the level of the first rib andsternum inferiorly (varying between the levels ofC7 andT4).[citation needed]
The carotid sheath is a fibrous connective tissue formation surrounding several important structures of the neck.[2] It is thicker around the arteries than around the vein, allowing the vein to expand.[2][1]: 578
The three major fascial layers in the neck contribute to the carotid sheath: theinvesting fascia, thepretracheal fascia, and theprevertebral fascia. The carotid sheath has limitedloose connective tissue.[5]
Structures contained within the carotid sheath include the:
The carotid sheath occurs at the level of theoropharynx.[3]
Thecervical sympathetic trunk is situated posteriormedial to the carotid sheath.[2]: 551
The carotid sheath is situated at each lateral boundary of theretropharyngeal space,[3] deep to thesternocleidomastoid muscle.[2]: 579 [3][2]
Thepharynx is situated medial to the carotid sheath, (in the suprahyoid region) theparotid gland laterally to it, in the suprahyoid region theinfratemporal fossa anterior to it, and theprevertebral fascia posterior to it.[2]
The carotid sheath acts to protect and separate the structures contained within.[2]
The carotid sheath may act as a conduit forinfections, although this is rare due to the limitedconnective tissue.[5]
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