DEVELOPMENTAL PECULIARITIES OF TOPOGRAPHIC MORPHOLOGY OF CERVICAL FASCIA AND CELLULAR SPACES IN ANTERIOR AND LATERAL CERVICAL REGIONS IN HUMAN FETUSES

In-depth study of the peculiarities of the morphological, topographic and anatomical relationships between fascia, muscles, vessels, nerves, cellular spaces and organs of other parts of the human body requires applying an appropriate methodology of morphological research. According to some researchers, the superficial, pretracheal, and prevertebral plates of the cervical fascia develop depending on the origin and morphogenesis of the respective groups of neck muscles. Obtaining data on the development of topographic morphology of the cervical fascia and interfascial cellular spaces of the anterior and lateral areas of the neck during the fetal period of human ontogenesis is an important area of fetal anatomy and surgery and can be used for age comparison. The purpose of the study was to clarify the peculiarities of the development of the topographic morphology in the cervical fascia and interfascial cellular spaces of the anterior and lateral areas of the neck in human fetuses of 4-10 months of gestation. The study was performed on 75 human fetuses of 81.0-375.0 mm parietal coccygeal length without external signs of anatomical abnormalities or developmental anomalies of the cervical region by preparing microscopic slides of organs and structures of the anterior and lateral areas of the neck. The samples taken from fetuses weighing more than 500.0 g were investigated directly at the Chernivtsi Regional Paediatric Pathological Bureau according to the association agreement. The material was also taken from the M.G. Turkevich Museum of the Human Anatomy Department, Bukovinian State Medical University. The macroscopic and microscopic investigation of the cervical region in human fetuses of 4-7 months revealed thin, semitranslucent plates of the cervical fascia: superficial, middle (pretracheal) and deep (prevertebral). In fetuses of 8-10 months in the anterior area of the neck, the plates of the cervical fascia were clearly seen and shiny. Subcutaneous, or superficial, and intracervical fascias were fascias propria of the neck, and having no clear boundaries passed into adjacent areas. In the fetal period of human ontogenesis the interfascial cellular spaces of the anterior and lateral areas of the neck develop including suprapectoral, anterovisceral, extravisceral, antescalenous, interscalenous cellular spaces and sheath of vascular-nervous bundles of the neck. During the fetal period of human ontogenesis, there is a pronounced variation in the development and location of the plates of the cervical fascia. The authors of this study state that the research and result publication have no conflicts regarding commercial or financial relations, relations with organizations and/or individuals who may have been related to the study.