Editing Cervical plexus (section)

== Anatomy ==
They are located laterally to the transverse processes between prevertebral muscles from the medial side and vertebral (m. [[Scalene muscles|scalenus]], m. [[levator scapulae]], m. [[splenius cervicis]]) from lateral side. There is anastomosis with [[accessory nerve]], [[hypoglossal nerve]] and [[sympathetic trunk]]. It is located in the [[neck]], deep to the [[sternocleidomastoid]] muscle.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Moskovitz|first1=Joshua B.|title=Chapter 11 - Regional Nerve Blocks of the Head and Neck|date=2015-01-01|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124103900000111|work=Nerves and Nerve Injuries|pages=147–151|editor-last=Tubbs|editor-first=R. Shane|place=San Diego|publisher=Academic Press|language=en|doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-410390-0.00011-1|isbn=978-0-12-410390-0|access-date=2020-10-25|last2=Choi|first2=Andrew|editor2-last=Rizk|editor2-first=Elias|editor3-last=Shoja|editor3-first=Mohammadali M.|editor4-last=Loukas|editor4-first=Marios|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The branches of the cervical plexus emerge from the [[posterior triangle]] at the [[Erb's point (neurology)|nerve point]], a point which lies midway on the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid.

=== Relations ===
The cervical plexus is situated deep to the [[sternocleidomastoid muscle]], [[internal jugular vein]], and [[deep cervical fascia]].<ref name=":224" />

It is situated anterior to the [[Middle scalene|middle scalene muscle]], and [[levator scapulae muscle]].<ref name=":224" />

=== Branches ===
The cervical plexus has two types of branches: [[Cutaneous innervation|cutaneous]] and muscular.<ref name=":0" />
*Cutaneous (4 branches): 
**[[Lesser occipital|Lesser occipital nerve]] - innervates the skin and the scalp posterosuperior to the auricle (C2)
**[[Great auricular nerve]] - innervates skin near concha auricle ([[Pinna (anatomy)|outer ear]]) and [[external acoustic meatus]] ([[ear canal]]) (C2-C3)
**[[Transverse cervical nerve]] - innervates anterior region of neck (C2 and C3)
**[[Supraclavicular nerves]] - innervate the skin above and below the clavicle (C3-C4)<ref>Clinically Oriented Anatomy by Moore and Dally's</ref> {{Clarify|date=July 2023|reason=Clarify preceeding reference - which edition?}}
*Muscular
**[[Ansa cervicalis]] - a loop formed by C1-C3 that supplies most infrahyoid (a.k.a. "strap") muscles ([[sternothyroid]], [[sternohyoid]], [[omohyoid]] muscles) etc.
**[[Thyrohyoid branch|Nerve to thyrohyoid]] - fibres from C1 that run with the [[Hypoglossal nerve|hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII)]] and do not participate in the formation of the [[superior root of ansa cervicalis]], instead continuing for some further distance to reach and innervate the [[thyrohyoid muscle]] and the [[geniohyoid muscle]].
**[[Phrenic]] (C3-C5, but mostly C4) - innervates [[thoracic diaphragm]] and the [[pericardium]].
**Segmental branches (C1-C4) - innervate [[scalenes|anterior and middle scalene muscles]]
**[[Levator scapulae|Levator scapulae muscle]] (C3-C4) (also innervated by [[dorsal scapular nerve]] (C5) of the [[brachial plexus]])