Fascial spaces and routes of spread of infection

• Deep fascia: tough, inelastic fibrous membrane enclosing the body deep to the subcutaneous tissue, like a tight sleeve; best marked in the limbs and neck.

Deep Fascia: General Structure and Function

• Keeps soft tissues in place and maintains body shape; in the limbs it sends intermuscular septa to the periosteum, letting muscle groups contract individually and slide over adjacent groups.
• Axiom: wherever deep fascia meets bone it attaches to the periosteum rather than crossing over it, since fascia and bone are both mesoderm-derived.

Deep Fascia of the Neck

Layers of deep fascia in the neck