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Lane Medical Library

Bassett Collection of Stereoscopic Images of Human Anatomy

Dissection of head and neck from a posterior approach

Cruciate ligament; alar ligaments

Image #80-4

KEYWORDS: Bones cartilage joints, Connective tissue, Cervical vertebrae, Fascia and connective tissue.

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Dissection of head and neck from a posterior approach
Cruciate ligament; alar ligaments
The posterior longitudinal ligament and tectorial membrane have been resected. The posterior vertebral venous plexus has been removed from the left side of the dissection. The jugular foramen (4) and the hypoglossal canal (5) have been cut open.
  1. Posterior semicircular canal
  2. Inferior petrosal sinus
  3. Upper pointer: Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) Lower pointer: Vagus nerve (X)
  4. Superior jugular venous bulb (jugular foramen opened, vein emptied of latex, and its anterior wall dissected to show artery to jugular ganglion of vagus nerve)
  5. Roots of hypoglossal nerve (XII) (hypoglossal canal opened to reveal veins and fibrous tissue enclosing nerve)
  6. Occipital bone (cut across)
  7. Prevertebral fascia (exposed by removal of rectus capitis lateralis muscle)
  8. Atlantooccipital cavity of articulation
  9. Vertebral artery (cut across)
  10. Upper pointer: Anterior branch of cervical nerve I Lower pointer: Groove in atlas for vertebral artery
  11. Inferior oblique capitis muscle (cut across)
  12. Spinal ganglion cervical nerve II
  13. Tendinous slip of longissimus cervicis muscle (cut across)
  14. Arch of axis (cut across)
  15. Joint capsule
  16. Posterior branch cervical nerve III
  17. Levator scapulae muscle
  18. Trigeminal nerve (V)
  19. Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
  20. Clivus
  21. Dura mater encephali (cut edge)
  22. Upper pointer: Posterior longitudinal ligament Lower pointer: Cruciate ligament atias
  23. Alar ligament (cut across on left)
  24. Position of dens (axis)
  25. Cut edge of tectorial membrane
  26. Transverse ligament atlas (part of cruciate ligament)
  27. Dura mater