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Inferior cervical ganglion

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Innervates
  
Thyroid

TA
  
A14.3.01.019

Dorlands /Elsevier
  
g_02/12384370

FMA
  
6961

Inferior cervical ganglion

Latin
  
ganglion cervicale inferius

The inferior cervical ganglion is situated between the base of the transverse process of the last cervical vertebra and the neck of the first rib, on the medial side of the costocervical artery.

Contents

Its form is irregular; it is larger in size than the middle cervical ganglion, and is frequently fused with the first thoracic ganglion, under which circumstances it is then called the "stellate ganglion."

Structure

It is connected to the middle cervical ganglion by two or more cords, one of which forms a loop around the subclavian artery and supplies offsets to it. This loop is named the ansa subclavia (Vieussenii).

The ganglion sends gray rami communicantes to the seventh and eighth cervical nerves.

Branches

The inferior cervical ganglion gives off two branches:

  • The Inferior cardiac nerve
  • offsets to bloodvessels form plexuses on the subclavian artery and its branches. The plexus on the vertebral artery is continued on to the basilar, posterior cerebral, and cerebellar arteries. The plexus on the inferior thyroid artery accompanies the artery to the thyroid gland, and communicates with the recurrent and external laryngeal nerves, with the superior cardiac nerve, and with the plexus on the common carotid artery.

    • Development

    It is probably formed by the coalescence of two ganglia which correspond to the seventh and eighth cervical nerves.

    References

    Inferior cervical ganglion Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA