Transverse Cervical

The transverse cervical nerve (superficial cervical or cutaneous cervical), turns around the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoideus about its middle, and, passing obliquely forward beneath the external jugular vein to the anterior border of the muscle, it perforates the deep cervical fascia, and divides beneath the Platysma into ascending and descending branches, which are distributed to the antero-lateral parts of the neck. It provides cutaneous innervation to this area. During dissection, the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is the landmark. The transverse cervical nerves will pass horizontally directly over the SCM from Erb's point.

The cervical plexus is formed by the ventral rami of the upper four cervical nerves and the upper part of fifth cervical ventral ramus. the network of rami is located deep to the sternocleidomastoid within the neck. the cervical plexus innervates muscles of the neck and areas of skin on the head, neck and chest. the deep branches innervate muscles, while the superficial branches supply areas of skin. a long branch (primarily of fibers of c4 and with contributions of fibers from c3 and c5; nervus phrenicus) innervates muscles of the diaphragm. the cervical plexus also communicates with the cranial nerves vagus nerve and hypoglossal nerve.