An anatomical study of the pharyngeal plexus: Application to avoiding postoperative dysphagia following anterior approaches to the cervical spine

Iwanaga J., Yilmaz E., Loukas M., Xu L., UZ A., Walocha J. A., ...Daha Fazla

CLINICAL ANATOMY, cilt.35, sa.3, ss.264-268, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 35 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/ca.23785
  • Dergi Adı: CLINICAL ANATOMY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.264-268
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: anatomy, cadaver, pharyngeal branch, pharyngeal plexus, retropharyngeal space
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We aimed to localize the pharyngeal branches of the pharyngeal plexus to preclude postoperative complications such as dysphagia resulting from injury to those branches. Cranial nerves IX and X and the sympathetic trunk were dissected on 10 sides in the necks of embalmed adult cadavers of European descent to identify the pharyngeal branches so that anatomical landmarks could be identified and injury thereby avoided. In all sides, the pharyngeal branches originated from the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves and the superior cervical ganglion and entered the posterior pharyngeal wall at the C2-C4 levels within 10 mm medial to the greater horn of the hyoid bone. All pharyngeal branches were anterior to the alar fascia. Based on our anatomical study, vagus nerve branches to the pharyngeal muscles enter at the C3/C4 vertebral levels. Such knowledge might help decrease or allow surgeons to predict which patients are more likely to develop dysphagia after cervical spine surgery.