A note on the anastomoses between the hypoglossal nerve and the cervical plexus

Summary

A series of 80 dissections was performed to define the anastomoses between the cervical plexus and the hypoglossal nerve (XII), the superior anastomosis between the trunk of XII and the ansa of the atlas from the cervical plexus; the ansa cervicalis, traditionally known as the ansa of the XIIth cranial nerve or hypoglossal ansa, formed by the direct junctional anastomosis of the descending branch of XII and the internal descending branch of the cervical plexus. The origins, form, branches and chief relations are defined in in the present study.

Résumé

Une série de 80 dissections vient préciser les anastomoses entre le plexus cervical et le nerf hypoglosse (XII), l'anastomose supérieure entre le tronc du XII et l'anse de l'atlas du plexus cervical; l'anse cervicale, classiquement appelée anse du XII ou anse de l'hypoglosse, constituée par l'anastomose à plein canal de la branche descendante du XII et de la branche descendante interne du plexus cervical. Ce travail en précise les origines, la formes, la ramescence et les principaux rapports.