Abstract
Background: A better understanding of the etiologies of occipital neuralgia would help the clinician treat patients with this debilitating condition. Since few studies have examined the muscular course of the greater occipital nerve (GON), this study was performed.
Methods: Thirty adult cadaveric sides underwent dissection of the posterior occiput with special attention to the intramuscular course of the GON. Nerves were typed based on their muscular course.
Results: The GON traveled through the trapezius (type I; n = 5, 16.7%) or its aponeurosis (type II; n = 15, 83.3%) to become subcutaneous. Variations in the subtrapezius muscular course were found in 10 (33%) sides. In two (6.7%) sides, the GON traveled through the lower edge of the inferior capitis oblique muscle (subtype a). On five (16.7%) sides, the GON coursed through a tendinous band of the semispinalis capitis, not through its muscular fibers (subtype b). On three (10%) sides the GON bypassed the semispinalis capitis muscle to travel between its most medial fibers and the nuchal ligament (subtype c). For subtypes, eight were type II courses (through the aponeurosis of the trapezius), and two were type I courses (through the trapezius muscle). The authors identified two type IIa courses, four type IIb courses, and two type IIc courses. Type I courses included one type Ib and one type Ic courses.
Conclusions: Variations in the muscular course of the GON were common. Future studies correlating these findings with the anatomy in patients with occipital neuralgia may elucidate nerve courses vulnerable to nerve compression. This enhanced classification scheme describes the morphology in this region and allows more specific communications about GON variations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 143743 |
| Journal | Surgical Neurology International |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | Supplement |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Anatomy
- Muscle
- Nerves
- Occiput
- Pain syndromes
- Skull
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
The intramuscular course of the greater occipital nerve : Novel findings with potential implications for operative interventions and occipital neuralgia. / Tubbs, R. Shane; Watanabe, Koichi; Loukas, Marios; Cohen-Gadol, Aaron.
In: Surgical Neurology International, Vol. 5, No. Supplement, 143743, 2014.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The intramuscular course of the greater occipital nerve
T2 - Novel findings with potential implications for operative interventions and occipital neuralgia
AU - Tubbs, R. Shane
AU - Watanabe, Koichi
AU - Loukas, Marios
AU - Cohen-Gadol, Aaron
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: A better understanding of the etiologies of occipital neuralgia would help the clinician treat patients with this debilitating condition. Since few studies have examined the muscular course of the greater occipital nerve (GON), this study was performed.Methods: Thirty adult cadaveric sides underwent dissection of the posterior occiput with special attention to the intramuscular course of the GON. Nerves were typed based on their muscular course.Results: The GON traveled through the trapezius (type I; n = 5, 16.7%) or its aponeurosis (type II; n = 15, 83.3%) to become subcutaneous. Variations in the subtrapezius muscular course were found in 10 (33%) sides. In two (6.7%) sides, the GON traveled through the lower edge of the inferior capitis oblique muscle (subtype a). On five (16.7%) sides, the GON coursed through a tendinous band of the semispinalis capitis, not through its muscular fibers (subtype b). On three (10%) sides the GON bypassed the semispinalis capitis muscle to travel between its most medial fibers and the nuchal ligament (subtype c). For subtypes, eight were type II courses (through the aponeurosis of the trapezius), and two were type I courses (through the trapezius muscle). The authors identified two type IIa courses, four type IIb courses, and two type IIc courses. Type I courses included one type Ib and one type Ic courses.Conclusions: Variations in the muscular course of the GON were common. Future studies correlating these findings with the anatomy in patients with occipital neuralgia may elucidate nerve courses vulnerable to nerve compression. This enhanced classification scheme describes the morphology in this region and allows more specific communications about GON variations.
AB - Background: A better understanding of the etiologies of occipital neuralgia would help the clinician treat patients with this debilitating condition. Since few studies have examined the muscular course of the greater occipital nerve (GON), this study was performed.Methods: Thirty adult cadaveric sides underwent dissection of the posterior occiput with special attention to the intramuscular course of the GON. Nerves were typed based on their muscular course.Results: The GON traveled through the trapezius (type I; n = 5, 16.7%) or its aponeurosis (type II; n = 15, 83.3%) to become subcutaneous. Variations in the subtrapezius muscular course were found in 10 (33%) sides. In two (6.7%) sides, the GON traveled through the lower edge of the inferior capitis oblique muscle (subtype a). On five (16.7%) sides, the GON coursed through a tendinous band of the semispinalis capitis, not through its muscular fibers (subtype b). On three (10%) sides the GON bypassed the semispinalis capitis muscle to travel between its most medial fibers and the nuchal ligament (subtype c). For subtypes, eight were type II courses (through the aponeurosis of the trapezius), and two were type I courses (through the trapezius muscle). The authors identified two type IIa courses, four type IIb courses, and two type IIc courses. Type I courses included one type Ib and one type Ic courses.Conclusions: Variations in the muscular course of the GON were common. Future studies correlating these findings with the anatomy in patients with occipital neuralgia may elucidate nerve courses vulnerable to nerve compression. This enhanced classification scheme describes the morphology in this region and allows more specific communications about GON variations.
KW - Anatomy
KW - Muscle
KW - Nerves
KW - Occiput
KW - Pain syndromes
KW - Skull
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84916195705&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84916195705&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4103/2152-7806.143743
DO - 10.4103/2152-7806.143743
M3 - Article
VL - 5
JO - Surgical Neurology International
JF - Surgical Neurology International
SN - 2152-7806
IS - Supplement
M1 - 143743
ER -