Distribution of Facial Nerve in Parotid Gland: Analysis of 50 Cases

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to reduce the postoperative morbidity related to facial paralysis during parotid surgery and to layout the different characteristics related to intraparotideal distribution and anastomoses of the facial nerve in our community. We also report new variations in the facial nerve branchings that have not been previously published. In this paper, facial nerves from 48 cadavers and 2 patients of which 45(90%) were males and 5(10%) were females; 26(52%) being right and 24(48%) being left facial nerves were put forward. Their photographs were taken and the diagrams of intraparotideal distributions of each facial nerve were drawn. The intraparotideal configuration of the facial nerve was evaluated in 5 types. Twenty-four% of the facial nerves had no anastomoses (Type I); 12% had a ring-like shape anastomosis between the buccal and the zygomatic branches (Type II); 14% anastomoses were between the buccal and the other branches in a ring-like shape (Type III); 38% of the facial nerves had multiple complex anastomoses and were named as multiple loops (Type IV); 12% had two main trunks (Type V). Of the bilateral cadaver dissections, the facial nerve distribution in 9(47.3%) were bilaterally the same and in 10(52.7%) main trunks were different. A facial nerve trifurcation composed of two main trunks were also established. There were no statistical differences between branching of the facial nerves in the right and left side of the faces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anatomical study of the zygomatic and buccal branches of the facial nerve: Application to facial reanimation procedures

“…From an evolutionary point of view, in the individual human being, the rich extent of arborization and communication patterns of the facial nerve is important to preserve function after partial injuries of the facial nerve system. Several studies and classification systems for facial nerve branch patterns already exist (Davis et al, ; Katz and Catalano, ; Kopuz et al, ; Kim et al, ; Gataa and Faris, ). Nerve morphometry and number of fascicles of the extratemporal facial nerve trunk were described in a previous study of ours (Kehrer et al, ).…”

“…It is found midway between the root of the ear helix and the commissure of the mouth (Dorafshar et al, ). Anatomically, the facial nerve branch system has been extensively studied (Ziarah and Atkinson, ; Laing and McKerrow, ; Kopuz et al, ; Kwak et al, ; Kim et al, ; Gataa and Faris, ). In 1956, Davis published one of the largest studies so far, featuring a detailed analysis of arborization and anastomoses between individual facial nerve twigs describing a classification with six individual types (Davis et al, ).…”

Extracranial Course of the Facial Nerve Revisited

“…In 1987, Katz and Catalano proposed a more extended classification considering the buccal origin and the number of trunks of the facial nerve. The possibility of a double trunk was also studied by other authors (Kopuz et al, ). We can say that, observing different criteria previously proposed and based on our results, there are 12 different patterns.…”

“…A single facial nerve trunk going through the stylomastoid foramen, has been often described in the literature (Davis et al, ; Gataa and Faris, ). However, several authors described two different trunks (Katz and Catalano, ; Kopuz et al, ; Kwak et al, , Kilic et al, ). Our results agree with the last statement.…”

“…It is well known that connections are more commonly found in the temporofacial division than in the cervicofacial, because, as it has been said previously in the literature, the upper division has a plexiform nature indeed, compared with the lower one (Pons‐Tortella, ; Davis et al, ). Classifications have frequently showed these multiple connections that appear in the temporofacial division (Davis et al, ; Katz and Catalano, ; Kopuz et al, ), however there are fewer references for interconnections in the lower division (Bernstein and Nelson, ).…”