Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)

Intermediate tendon of digastric

Tendo intermedius musculi digastrici

Origin

Transition from the anterior belly of digastric

Insertion

Fibrous sling (trochlea) anchored to the body/lesser horn of the hyoid bone, continuing to the posterior belly

Function

Acts as a functional pulley that redirects the pull of the anterior and posterior bellies, transmitting force to the hyoid bone rather than directly to the skull base

Innervation

Not applicable: connective tissue structure with no intrinsic contractility; control comes from the muscle bellies on either side (CN V3 and CN VII)

Movement & chain

Part of the digastric-hyoid mechanism that is crucial for both mouth opening and hyoid elevation during swallowing.

Palpation

Palpable just superior to the greater horn of the hyoid bone in the anterolateral neck.

Clinical

Anatomical reference point in neck and floor-of-mouth surgery for the position of the hyoid bone.

Segmental innervation

Fibrous tendon pulley (innervated via CN V3 and CN VII divisions)

In clinical practice

Biomechanical pulley for suprahyoid muscles; crucial surgical landmark for identifying the hypoglossal nerve.

Region in the model

Head and neck muscles (chewing, facial, and throat muscles)