An unusual location of the ansa cervicalis.

The ansa cervicalis (AC) is part of the cervical plexus and is formed by the ventral rami of spinal nerves C1-C3. It is usually formed by two roots that run parallel to each other and then form a loop anterior to the internal jugular vein. Herein, we report a rare case where the AC was found deep to the internal carotid artery and common carotid artery and had sympathetic contributions.

The jugular nerve: A review of this enigmatic structure.

The jugular nerve (JN) is described as joining the superior cervical ganglion to the vagus nerve. It has been studied extensively in many different animal species; however, there is very limited literature about humans. This review delves into various descriptions of this nerve's anatomy and animal studies aimed at deciphering its function. The goal is to shed more light on this understudied structure in humans.

Postfixed lumbosacral plexus with split L5 ventral ramus and furcal nerve arising from L5.

Variations of the peripheral nerve plexuses are important to those clinicians who diagnose and treat patients with pathology of their parts. During routine dissection, a postfixed lumbosacral plexus with a furcal nerve arising from L5, not L4, was discovered. In addition, the case was found to have a split L5 ventral ramus. Such a variation might become clinically significant during clinical presentations of radiculopathy. With a better understanding of the fucal nerve variation presented here, along with previously documented variations, the diagnostic and treatment procedures for atypical radiculopathy can be refined, reducing the rates of nerve injury and failed back surgery.

Previously undescribed variant muscle connecting longissimus and semispinalis capitis muscles.

Thelongissimus capitis and the semispinalis capitis both function to bilaterally extend and unilaterally rotate the head. Typically, these muscles are distinct with origins and insertions at independent locations along the vertebral column. During a routine cadaveric dissection, an unusual muscle strip was identified between the longissimus capitis andsemispinalis capitismuscles on the left, posterior neck. This anatomical variation may have developed due to an incomplete or abnormal columnar segregation during gestation. The presence of this muscle strip contributes to previous case reports that have identified abnormal musculature between and along the longissimus and semispinalis muscles. Awareness of this muscular variant should be kept in mind by clinicians and surgeons who treat/operate this area of the body.