A 20-year-old man is admitted to the emergency department with a stab wound in the superior region of his neck. A radiographic examination reveals that the wound has not affected any major structures. Physical examination reveals that the patient has lost sensation from the skin over the angle of the jaw. Which of the following nerves is most likely injured?
Four nerves participate in providing cutaneous supply to the neck. The nerves are the supraclavicular, great auricular, transverse cervical, and the lesser occipital. The area over the angle of the jaw is innervated by the great auricular nerve. It ascends from spinal segments from C2 and C3 and innervates the skin over the angle of the jaw and posteroinferior to the auricle of the ear. The transverse cervical also originates from C2-3 spinal segments but passes anteriorly to innervate the anterior and lateral aspects of the neck. The lesser occipital nerve innervates skin in the area of the back of the neck and posterior occiput. The supraclavicular nerves originate from C3-4 and innervate the more inferior aspects of the neck, the upper deltoid region, and skin inferior to the clavicles.
Supraclavicular
Transverse cervical
Great auricular
Greater occipital
Head & Neck