The omohyoid muscle is a muscle in the neck. It is one of the infrahyoid muscles. It consists of two bellies separated by an intermediate tendon. Its inferior belly is attached to the scapula; its superior belly is attached to the hyoid bone. Its intermediate tendon is anchored to the clavicle and first rib by a fascial sling. The omohyoid is innervated by the ansa cervicalis of the cervical plexus. It acts to depress the hyoid bone.
Anatomy
Structure
The omohyoid muscle consists of muscle bellies that meet at an angle at the muscle's intermediate tendon.[1]
It is directed anteriorly and somewhat superiorly from its origin, extending across the inferior portion of the neck. It passes posterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle to insert at the intermediate tendon.[1]
Superior belly
The superior belly arises at the intermediate tendon. It extends nearly vertically superior-ward close to the lateral border of sternocleidomastoid muscle to insert at the inferior border of the body of hyoid bone (its site of insertion is lateral to that of the sternohyoid muscle).[1]
Intermediate tendon
The intermediate tendon is variable in length and form, and contains a variable amount of muscle tissue. It is anchored inferiorly to the clavicle and first rib by a band of deep cervical fascia that surrounds the intermediate tendon; this fascial fixation maintains the angle of the muscle.[1]
The muscle depresses the hyoid bone when the bone is in an elevated position.[1]
A putative action of the muscle is tension of the inferior portion of deep cervical fascia to prevent soft tissues from collapsing inward into the upper airway during deep inspiration.[1]
Etymology
The name "omohyoid" derives from the Greek "omos" meaning shoulder, giving one of its attachments, and "hyoid", giving the other attachment – the hyoid bone.[citation needed]