Ansa subclavia
Ansa subclavia
- Latin eponym: Ansa Vieussenii
- Eponym: Ansa of Vieussens
Definition
Ansa subclavia is a cord-like neuronal loop which hooks underneath the first part of subclavian artery–just medial to the origin of internal thoracic artery–and interconnects the middle and inferior cervical ganglia. Due to its proximity to the cervical pleura, the ansa subclavia is also found to have connections with nearby neuronal structures, such as the phrenic and the vagus nerves.
Please note that, apart from the more anteriorly situated ansa subclavia, additional neuronal connections are also found between the middle and inferior cervical ganglia. These wind around the vertebral artery and are more posteriorly situated.
References
Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2022 IMAIOS.
Standring, S. and Gray, H. (2016). ‘Chapter 29: Neck’ in Gray’s anatomy The anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. (41st ed.) New York: Elsevier, pp. 469.
Loukas M, Zhan XL, Tubbs RS, Mirchandani D, Shoja MM. The ansa subclavia: a review of the literature. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2008 Aug;67(3):166-70. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18828096/
