Spinal accessory nerve in Sudanese subjects; A gross morphological study

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article was to study the spinal accessory nerve in Sudanese subjects. dissection of formalin-fixed cadavers' necks. In Sudanese the SAN exits as one trunk from the jugular foramen anterior to IJV then crosses lateral to it. Rarely SAN exits as two branches. Usually the nerve passes beneath SCMM and supply it by direct or side branch. Muscular branches of SAN have connections from the cervical plexus mainly C2, 3. There are some differences in the course, branches and connections of the spinal accessory nerve in Sudanese from what is described in standard textbooks of anatomy.