Retropharyngeal space
| Retropharyngeal space | |
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| Section of the neck at about the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. Showing the arrangement of the fascia coli. | |
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| Sagittal section of nose mouth, pharynx, and larynx. | |
| Latin | spatium retropharyngeum |
| Gray's | subject #111 390 |
The retropharyngeal space is a space bounded by the buccopharyngeal fascia posteriorly and the alar fascia anteriorly.
It includes the retropharyngeal lymph nodes.[1]
Because serious infections of teeth can spread down this space into the posterior mediastinum, it is often confused with the danger space. The danger space is actually between the alar fascia and the prevertebral fascia and extends from the cranial base above to the level of the diaphragm.
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[edit] Clinical significance
A midline raphae is present in this space making some infections appear unilateral. However without treatment infections can easily spread from one space to the adjacent space.
If more than half of the size of the C2 vertebra, it may indicate retropharyngeal abscess.[2]
[edit] Relations
It is limited above by the base of the skull, and below where the alar fascia fuses with the buccopharyngeal fascia at about the level of T4 and the carina.
Relations of the retropharyngeal space:
- Superior: Base of the skull
- Inferior: Superior mediastinum
- Lateral: Carotid sheath
- Anterior: Pharynx
- Posterior: Alar fascia[3]
[edit] Additional images
[edit] References
- ^ Chong VF, Fan YF (October 2000). "Radiology of the retropharyngeal space". Clin Radiol 55 (10): 740–8. doi:10.1053/crad.2000.0510. PMID 11052873. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0009926000905105.
- ^ Gary Frank; Samir S Shah; Marina Catallozzi; Lisa B Zaoutis (1 June 2005). The Philadelphia guide: inpatient pediatrics. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 181–. ISBN 9781405104289. http://books.google.com/books?id=dBMP4uxNFMYC&pg=PA181. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ Ozlugedik S, Ibrahim Acar H, Apaydin N, et al. (October 2005). "Retropharyngeal space and lymph nodes: an anatomical guide for surgical dissection". Acta Otolaryngol. 125 (10): 1111–5. doi:10.1080/00016480510035421. PMID 16298795.
[edit] External links
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
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