Corpus: Inferior cervical ganglion

The inferior cervical ganglion is a collection of nerve cells (ganglion) in the lower neck region. It is one of the three cervical ganglia of the sympathetic trunk and is often fused with the first thoracic ganglion to form the stellate ganglion.

The inferior cervical ganglion has an irregular basic shape. It is located above the pleural dome between the base of the transverse process of the last cervical vertebra and the neck of the first rib. The truncus costocervicalis runs directly laterally past the ganglion.

In the inferior cervical ganglion, the preganglionic sympathetic neurones are connected to postganglionic neurones. From here they run via several branches (rami) from the ganglion to their supply areas.

Superior rami[Bearbeiten]

They are also known as interganglionic rami and communicate with the middle cervical ganglion. In their course, they form a loop around the subclavian artery, which is known as the subclavian artery.

Ramus cardiacus[Bearbeiten]

The ramus cardiacus forms the inferior cardiac nerve, which runs to the cardiac plexus of the heart and is responsible for its sympathetic innervation.

Rami vasculares[Bearbeiten]

Some fibres of the inferior cervical ganglion run to the neighbouring blood vessels and form periarterial nerve plexuses there, which continue with the vessels and their branches. This is how the subclavian plexus is formed on the subclavian artery.

Vertebral nerve[Bearbeiten]

The vertebral nerve connects the inferior cervical ganglion with the 6th and 7th spinal nerves.