Download LYMPH NODES AND LYMPH VESSELS OF THE HEAD AND NECK

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM OF THE
HEAD AND NECK
• LYMPHATIC SYSTEM: includes lymph nodes
and lymph vessels.
• The lymph nodes of the head and neck are
very numerous, and fall into two sets:
1. Horizontal groups
2. Vertical (cervical) groups
1. HORIZONTAL GROUPS
• They are situated around the junction of the
head with the neck, and drain all the
superficial structures of the head and some
deep parts.
• They are assisted in the drainage of the
deeper structures by nodes situated posterior
to the pharynx.
• Most of the efferent vessels from these groups
pass to the vertical group.
2. VERTICAL (CERVICAL) GROUPS
• These consist of a vertical chain composed of
numerous superficial and deep nodes.
1. HORIZONTAL GROUPS
1.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
Occipital lymph nodes
Mastoid (postauricular) lymph nodes
Parotid and preauricular lymph nodes
Submandibular lymph nodes
Submental lymph nodes
Retropharyngeal lymph nodes
1. Occipital lymph nodes
• These are a few small nodes that lie on the
upper end of trapezius and on the fascia at the
apex of the posterior triangle.
• They drain the occipital part of the scalp and
the superior part of the back of the neck.
2. Mastoid (postauricular or retroauricular) lymph nodes
• These nodes lie on the superior end of the
sternocleidomastoid posterior to the auricle.
• They drain the posterior half of the side of the
head and the posterior surface of the auricle.
3. Parotid and preauricular lymph
nodes
• These are several small nodes which are
scattered throughout the parotid gland from
its lateral to its medial surface.
• They drain a great part of the head, including
the anterior part of the scalp, the upper half
of the face, the upper molar teeth and gums,
the temporal and infratemporal regions, the
auricle, the external acoustic meatus, the
middle ear and auditory tube, and the lacrimal
and parotid glands.
4. Submandibular lymph nodes
• These nodes lie along the length of the
submandibular salivary gland, in the groove
between the mandible and the gland.
• They drain the lower part of the front and side
of the face (including the lower lip and chin)
from the submandibular and sublingual
salivary glands, from the floor of the mouth,
the side of the tongue, most of the teeth and
gums, part of the palate and the anterior part
of the walls of the nasal cavity.
5. Submental lymph nodes
• Three or four small nodes lie between the
anterior bellies of digastric on the fascia
covering the inferior surface of mylohyoid.
• They drain lymph from a wedge-shaped zone
which includes the incisor teeth and gums,
and the anterior part of the floor of the
mouth.
6. Retropharyngeal lymph nodes
• A few nodes lie in the fascia on the posterior
wall of the upper pharynx, in a plane just
anterior to the mastoid process.
• They drain lymph from the oral and nasal
parts of the pharynx, the palate, nose, and air
sinuses, the auditory tube and middle ear.
2. VERTICAL GROUPS
1. Superficial cervical lymph nodes
2. Deep cervical lymph nodes
1. Superficial cervical lymph nodes
• 2 groups:
1. 1st group arranged along the
A. external jugular vein.
B. anterior jugular vein.
A. The external jugular vein group drain the
adjoining skin and the parotid nodes, and
send lymph vessels around the anterior
border of sternocleidomastoid to the deep
nodes in the carotid triangle.
• B. the anterior jugular vein group are few in
number and receive lymph from the skin and
muscles of the anterior part of the neck, and
transmit it to the deep nodes.
• 2. 2nd group lies in the posterior triangle and
arranged along the anterior border of
trapezius.
2. Deep cervical lymph nodes
• Composed of nodes that are arranged along
the internal jugular vein from the digastric to
the root of the neck, and drain tongue and the
structures in the neck.
• These are numerous and large, and they form
a broad strip of nodes.
• Two of them, the jugulodigastric and the
jugulo-omohyoid, are of special importance in
the lymph drainage of the tongue and are
named from their relation to the digastric and
omohyoid muscles.