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Thyroid Gland

Components covered in this thyroid gland section:

  • Thyroid Gland

  • Vasculature

    • Arteries

    • Veins

  • Related structures

Thyroid Gland

 

Thyroid Gland lies in the visceral compartment of the neck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thyroid gland has 4 parts:

  • Right lobe

  • Left lobe

  • Isthmus- lies anterior to 2nd/3rd tracheal rings

  • Fibrous capsule- surrounds thyroid gland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vasculature

 

 

Arteries

 

Arteries of thyroid gland:

  • Superior thyroid artery- via ECA

  • Thyroid ima artery- via right braciocephalic trunk

  • Inferior thyroid artery- via thyrocervical trunk via subclavian artery

 

 

Veins

 

Veins of thyroid gland:

  • Superior thyroid vein- via IJV

  • Middle thyroid vein- via IJV

  • Inferior thyroid artery- via braciocephalic vein

 

 

 

 

 

Related Structures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related structures:

  • Superior- strap/infrahyoid muscles

  • Superolateral- sternocleidomastoid

  • Lateral- carotid sheath & external laryngeal nerve

  • Through gland- recurrent laryngeal nerve

  • Posterior surface- 4 parathyroid glands

 

 

Parathyroid Glands

 

There are 4 parathyroid glands:

  • 2 superior parathyroid glands

  • 2 inferior parathyroid glands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recurrent laryngeal nerve positions vary:

  • Right recurrent laryngeal nerve- loops from right vagus nerve below right braciocephalic trunk

  • Left recurrant laryngeal nerve- loops from left vagus nerve below the aortic arch

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