782 



THE VASCULAR SYSTEMS 



The submental or suprahyoid nodes (Figs. 556 and 559) are usually two 

 nodes situated between the anterior bellies of the two Digastric muscles and 

 upon the Mylohyoid muscle. They receive lymph from the cutaneous surface 

 of the chin, from the cutaneous and mucous surfaces of the central portion of 

 the lower lip, from the central portion of the gums, from the floor of the mouth, 

 and from the tip of the tongue. They send some vessels to the submaxillary 

 lymph nodes, and frequently a node is interposed on the anterior belly of the 

 Digastric muscle. They send other vessels to the upper deep cervical nodes. 



The anterior cervical nodes form an irregular and inconstant group on the 

 front of the larynx and trachea. They may be divided into (a) a superficial 

 set, placed on the anterior jugular vein; (6) a deeper set, which is further sub- 

 divided into prelaryngeal, on the cricothyroid membrane, and pretracheal, on 

 the front of the trachea. This deeper set drains the lower part of the larynx, 

 the thyroid body, and the upper part of the trachea ; their efferents pass to the lower 

 nodes of the upper deep cervical group. 



The retropharyngeal nodes have been described on page 779. 



LYMPHATIC VESSELS 

 OF AURICLE 



MASTOID NODES 



STERNOMASTOID 



NODE (external 

 group) 



NODE OF 



EXTERNAL JUGULAR 

 CHAIN 



STERNOMASTOID 



NODE (internal 

 group) 



SUBHYOID GLAND 



FIG. 560. Deep cervical chain. (Poirier and Charpy.) 



The deep cervical nodes (lymphoglandulae cervicales profundae) (Figs. 556 

 and 560) are numerous and of large size; they form a chain along the carotid 

 sheath lying by the side of the pharynx, oesophagus, and trachea, and extending 

 from the base of the skull to the root of the neck. They are usually described 

 in two groups: (1) an upper or substernomastoid group (lymphoglandulae cervi- 

 cales profundae superiores] lying under the Sternomastoid in close relation with 

 the spinal accessory nerve and the internal jugular vein, some of the nodes lying 

 in front of and others behind the vessel ; (2) a lower or supraclavicular group (lympho- 

 glandulae cervicales profundae inferiores) extending beyond the posterior margin 

 of the Sternomastoid into the supraclavicular triangle, where they are closely 

 related to the brachial plexus and subclavian vein. A few minute nodes are 

 situated alongside the recurrent laryngeal nerves on the lateral aspects of the 

 trachea and oesophagus. The upper deep cervical nodes drain the occipital 

 portion of the scalp, the pinna, and the back of the neck, the tongue, larynx, 

 thyroid body, trachea, nasopharynx, nasal fossae, palate, and oesophagus. They 

 receive also the efferent vessels from all the -other nodes of the head and neck, 



