ZHANG Bo-jing,LU Feng-ying,LI Xin-yang,et al.Applied anatomical study on the positional relationships among buccal branch of facial nerve,parotid duct and facial artery[J].JOURNAL OF REGIONAL ANATOMY AND OPERATIVE SURGERY,2025,34(05):386-389.
ZHANG Bo-jing,LU Feng-ying,LI Xin-yang,et al.Applied anatomical study on the positional relationships among buccal branch of facial nerve,parotid duct and facial artery[J].JOURNAL OF REGIONAL ANATOMY AND OPERATIVE SURGERY,2025,34(05):386-389. DOI: 10.11659/jjssx.04E024137.
Applied anatomical study on the positional relationships among buccal branch of facial nerve,parotid duct and facial artery
By observing and measuring the relevant data of the buccal branch of the facial nerve,the parotid duct and the facial artery,the positional relationship among the three was analyzed to avoid accidental injury to the buccal branch of the facial nerve and the parotid duct when ligaturing the facial artery during the operation.
Methods
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Forty adult head and neck specimens were dissected to observe the relationship between the buccal branch of the facial nerve and the parotid duct,the course and positional relationship of the facial artery,and the relationship between the buccal branch of the facial nerve and the peripheral vascular network. The relevant diameters were measured with a vernier caliper.
Results
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The buccal branch of the facial nerve was divided into the superior buccal branch and the inferior buccal branch,and there was no direct anastomosis or connecting fiber between the buccal branch of the facial nerve and the parotid duct. The superior buccal branch was relatively thick,and it has a relatively constant position,which was parallel to the parotid duct. The position of the inferior buccal branch was not constant and it ran on or slightly above the plane of angulus oris. The superior buccal branch was located (10.76±5.54) mm from the parotid duct,while the inferior buccal branch was positioned (6.84±4.06) mm away from the parotid duct.The course of the main trunk of the facial artery was relatively fixed. Moreover,if the branch of the facial artery was missing,other branches of the facial artery would extend to replace the missing branch artery. The main trunk of the facial artery had a diameter of (2.34±0.83) mm,and its branches formed anastomoses with the buccal branch of the maxillary artery,creating a vascular network in the parotid and buccal regions.There was a vascular network around the buccal branch of the facial nerve,which was mostly small branches of the facial artery and the superficial temporal artery.
Conclusion
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The buccal branch of the facial nerve exhibits a consistent anatomic relationship with the parotid duct and the facial artery. During the ligation of the facial artery,the parotid duct can serve as a landmark to accurately locate the buccal branch of the facial nerve,thereby significantly reducing the risk of inadvertent injury to the buccal branch of the facial nerve and the parotid duct.
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