submandibular space

The submandibular space is a suprahyoid deep compartment of the head and neck.

Terminology

Within this compartment, all authors include the space within the submandibular triangle around the submandibular gland. Some also subsume the submental space and others further include the sublingual space, as these spaces communicate freely . In the latter case, the portion of the submandibular space inferior to the mylohyoid muscle sling is also known as the submaxillary space . The article below uses the most granular of these definitions (i.e. treating the submental and sublingual spaces as separate compartments and the submandibular space to be synonymous with the submylohyoid/submaxillary space).

Gross anatomy

The superficial layer of the deep cervical fascia between the mandible and hyoid bone forms the floor of the submandibular space.

Boundaries

• anterolaterally: mandible
• medially: anterior belly of digastric muscles
• posteriorly: muscles of the tongue
• superiorly: mylohyoid muscle
• inferiorly: hyoid bone

Contents

• superficial (main) portion of the submandibular gland
• submandibular lymph nodes (level Ib)
• facial artery and vein
• fat
• inferior loop of the hypoglossal nerve

Relations

• superiorly: sublingual space (​separated by the mylohyoid muscle anteriorly and continuous posteriorly around the posterior edge of mylohyoid)
• medially: submental space
• posteriorly: parapharyngeal space

Related pathology

• abscess (usually dental source)
• Ludwig angina
• diving ranula
• submandibular sialolithisis and sialadenitis

Siehe auch:

• Sublingual space
• anatomy of the supra hyoid spaces
• Mundbodenabszess
• submentaler Raum
• Submaxillary space

und weiter:

• Mundbodenphlegmone