Pterygoid muscles (function)

USMLE medical mnemonic.

Look at how your jaw ends up when saying first syllable of ‘Lateral’ or ‘Medial’

* “La“: your jaw is now open, so Lateral opens mouth.
* “Me“: your jaw is still closed, so Medial closes the mandible.

Thyroid gland mnemonics

USMLE and NCLEX thyroid gland Medical Mnemonics.

Thyroids: relative sizes

Thyroid looks like a bra.
Breasts are bigger in women, so thyroid bigger in women.
Pregnant women have biggest breasts of all, so they have the biggest thyroids.

Thyroid: isthmus location

Rings 2,3,4 make the isthmus floor:

Isthmus overlies tracheal rings 2,3,4

External jugular vein mnemonic: tributaries

USMLE/NCLEX mnemonic. External jugular vein mnemonic: tributaries.

PAST:

Posterior external jugular vein
Anterior jugular vein
Suprascapular vein
Transverse cervical vein

Cavernous sinus mnemonic

Cavernous sinus contents

O TOM CAT:

O TOM are lateral wall components, in order from superior to inferior.
CA are the components within the sinus, from medial to lateral. CA ends at the level of T from O TOM.
· See diagram.
Occulomotor nerve (III)
Trochlear nerve (IV)
Ophthalmic nerve (V1)
Maxillary nerve (V2)
Carotid artery
Abducent nerve (VI)
T: When written, connects to the T of OTOM.

Maxillary artery mnemonic

Maxillary artery branches mnemonic

DAM I AM Piss Drunk But Stupid Drunk I Prefer, Must Phone Alcoholics Anonymous:

Deep auricular
Anterior tympanic
Middle meningeal
Inferior alveolar
Accessory meningeal
Masseteric
Pterygoid
Deep temporal
Buccal
Sphenopalatine
Descending palatine
Infraorbital
Posterior superior alveolar
Middle superior alveolar
Pharyngeal
Anterior superior alveolar
Artery of the pterygoid canal

Carotid sheath mnemonic

Carotid sheath contents mnemonic

I See 10 CC‘s in the IV:

I See (I.C.) = Internal Carotid artery
10 = CN 10 (Vagus nerve)
CC = Common Carotid artery
IV = Internal Jugular Vein

Internal jugular vein: tributaries

“Medical Schools Let Confident People In”:

· From inferior to superior:
Middle thyroid
Superior thyroid
Lingual
Common facial
Pharyngeal
Inferior petrosal sinus

External carotid artery branches mnemonic

“Sister Lucy’s Powdered Face Often Attracts Silly Medicos”:

· Before entering the parotid gland:
Superior thyroid
Lingual
Posterior auricular
Facial
Occipital
Ascending pharyngeal
· Ends as:
Superficial temporal and
Maxillary bifurcating in the in the parotid gland

Alternative version:

“Some Angry Lady Figured Out PMS“:
Superior thyroid
Ascending pharyngeal
Lingual
Facial
Occipital
Posterior auricular
Maxillary
Superificial temporal