Ansa cervicalis
The ansa cervicalis (or ansa hypoglossi in older literature) is a loop formed by muscular branches of the cervical plexus formed by branches of cervical spinal nerves C1-C3. The ansa cervicalis has two roots - a superior root (formed by branch of C1) and an inferior root (formed by union of branches of C2 and C3) - that unite distally, forming a loop. It is situated within the carotid sheath.: 334
| Ansa cervicalis | |
|---|---|
Ansa cervicalis. Superior root labeled as "descending hypoglossal," Inferior root labeled as "descending cervical." | |
| Details | |
| Innervates | sternohyoid muscle, sternothyroid muscle, omohyoid muscle |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | ansa cervicalis, ansa hypoglossi |
| TA98 | A14.2.02.013 |
| TA2 | 6376 |
| FMA | 55142 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Branches of the ansa cervicalis innervate three of the four infrahyoid muscles: the sternothyroid, sternohyoid, and omohyoid muscles (note that the thyrohyoid muscle is the one infrahyoid muscle not innervated by the ansa cervicalis - it is instead innervated by cervical spinal nerve 1 via a separate thyrohyoid branch: 582, 600 ).
Its name means "handle of the neck" in Latin.