"A second difference is the posterior limit of the visceral space. Some authorities divide the visceral space into an anterior "pretracheal space" and a posterior "retrovisceral space" 3, the latter of which is synonymous with the retropharyngeal space superiorly and retrooesophageal space inferiorly. In this definition, the entire visceral space is posteriorly delimited by the alar fascia, which is part of the deep layer of the deep cervical fascia, rather than by the visceral fascia. The rationale is that there is a free communication between these two spaces at the level between the thyroid cartilage and the inferior thyroid artery. The term "pretracheal" is confusing, however, as the space contains the trachea itself. Thus, most authors consider the visceral space separately from the retropharyngeal space 1,2,4, including in this article."
"A second difference is the posterior limit of the visceral space. Some authorities divide the visceral space into an anterior "pretracheal space" and a posterior "retrovisceral space" 3, the latter of which is synonymous with the retropharyngeal space superiorly and retrooesophageal space inferiorly. In this definition, the entire visceral space is posteriorly delimited by the alar fascia, which is part of the deep layer of the deep cervical fascia, rather than by the visceral fascia. The rationale is that there is a free communication between these two spaces at the level between the thyroid cartilage and the inferior thyroid artery. The term "pretracheal" is confusing, however, as the space contains the trachea itself. Thus, most authors consider the visceral space separately from the retropharyngeal space 1,2,4, including in this article."
Expected headings
"Terminology"
"Contents"
"The visceral space or compartment is a deep compartment of the head and neck that contains the thyroid gland, larynx, trachea, upper oesophagus, hypopharynx and, in some definitions, oropharynx and nasopharynx."
"The main difference is the superior limit of the visceral space. Authors differ as to whether the visceral fascia, part of the middle layer of the deep cervical fascia, extends superiorly only to the hyoid bone or to the skull base 1. As such, some authors restrict the visceral space to the infrahyoid neck 2, including in this article, while other authorities subsume the entire pharyngeal mucosal space, including nasopharynx and oropharynx, as a subcomponent or synonym of the visceral space 1,3,4."
"Because of this confusion, rather than citing the visceral space in radiology reporting and communications with surgeons, a more practical alternative is localising pathology to their more traditional anatomic descriptors such as "pharynx", "larynx", "trachea", "oesophagus", or "thyroid" and their anatomic subsites."
"The visceral space or compartment is a deep compartment of the head and neck that contains the thyroid gland, larynx, trachea, upper oesophagus, hypopharynx and, in some definitions, oropharynx and nasopharynx."