Expansion
Very Important Vessels Nearby
Mnemonic
“I See 10 CC in the IV”:
- I - Internal jugular vein, lateral
- C - Carotid artery, medial (common below, internal above)
- 10 - the vagus nerve, cranial nerve X, posteriorly between the two
The ansa cervicalis lies embedded in the anterior wall of the sheath, and the cervical sympathetic chain lies behind the sheath, not within it, which is the distinction most often tested and the reason a carotid endarterectomy can produce Horner’s syndrome.
Expansion
- V - Vagus nerve
- I - Internal jugular vein
- V - Vessels, common and internal carotid arteries
- N - Nodes, deep cervical lymph nodes