The deep cervical lymph nodes are a group of

cervical lymph nodes Cervical lymph nodes are lymph nodes found in the neck. Of the 800 lymph nodes in the human body, 300 are in the neck. Cervical lymph nodes are subject to a number of different pathological conditions including tumours, infection and inflammati ...

found near the

internal jugular vein The internal jugular vein is a paired jugular vein that collects blood from the brain and the superficial parts of the face and neck. This vein runs in the carotid sheath with the common carotid artery and vagus nerve. It begins in the poste ...

in the neck.

Structure

The deep cervical lymph nodes can be divided into upper and lower groups, or superior and inferior groups. Alternatively, they can be divided into

deep anterior cervical lymph nodes The deep anterior cervical lymph nodes are found near the middle cricothyroid ligament and the trachea The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passag ...

and

deep lateral cervical lymph nodes The deep lateral cervical lymph nodes are found near the upper part of the internal jugular vein in the neck, lateral or posterior to the carotid sheath The carotid sheath is an anatomical term for the fibrous connective tissue that surrounds the ...

. They can also be divided into three groups: "superior deep jugular", "middle deep jugular", and "inferior deep jugular".

Location

The deep cervical lymph nodes are contained in the

carotid sheath The carotid sheath is an anatomical term for the fibrous connective tissue that surrounds the vascular compartment of the neck. It is part of the deep cervical fascia of the neck, below the superficial cervical fascia meaning the subcutaneous adi ...

in the neck, close to the

. They connect to the

meningeal lymphatic vessels The meningeal lymphatic vessels (or meningeal lymphatics) are a network of conventional lymphatic vessels located parallel to the dural venous sinuses and middle meningeal arteries of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). As a part of the ly ...

superiorly.

Function

The deep cervical lymph nodes provide

lymphatic drainage The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is an organ system in vertebrates that is part of the immune system, and complementary to the circulatory system. It consists of a large network of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, lymphatic or lymphoid ...

to many parts of the head, including the

pharynx The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the oesophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its st ...

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

, and

meninges In anatomy, the meninges (, ''singular:'' meninx ( or ), ) are the three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord. In mammals, the meninges are the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. Cerebrospinal fluid is located in ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deep Cervical Lymph Nodes Lymphatics of the head and neck