General Medical Information

Hyoid Bone and Tongue

Susan D. John
Michael D. Maves

The hyoid bone, to which are attached infrahyoid and suprahyoid muscles, effectively separates the anterior suprahyoid and infrahyoid fascial compartments. The suprahyoid muscles are the digastric and stylohyoid muscles, the mylohyoid and the geniohyoid muscles, and the muscles of the tongue. The extrinsic muscles of the tongue are the genioglossus, the hyoglossus, and the styloglossus. The intrinsic muscles of the tongue are complicated bundles of interlacing fibers, among which are connective tissue septa. The midline septum lies between and effectively separates the muscles, nerves, and vessels of the two sides. It is an almost bloodless midline plane.