The complete anatomy of the lingual nerve: A meta‐analysis with implications for oral and maxillofacial surgery

Abstract

Lingual nerve (LN) injury during surgical procedures in the third molar region warrants a detailed study of its common pathway and important variations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze and compile the multiple anatomical variations of the LN for use in oral and maxillofacial surgery. It is anticipated that the results of the present meta-analysis may help to minimize the possible complications when performing procedures associated with this anatomical entity. Major online databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase were used to gather all relevant studies regarding the LN anatomy. The results were established based on a total of 1665 LNs. The pooled prevalence of the LN being located below the lingual/ alveolar crest was found to be 77.87% (95% CI: 0.00%-100.00%). The LN was located above the lingual/ alveolar crest in 8.21% (95% CI: 4.63%-12.89%) of examined nerves. The most common shape of the LN was established to be round with a prevalence of 40.96% (95% CI: 23.96%-59.06%), followed by oval at 37.98% (95% CI: 23.98%-53.02%) and flat at 25.16% (95% CI: 12.85%-39.77%). In conclusion, we believe that this is the most accurate and up-to-date study regarding the anatomy of the LN. The LN was found to be located below the lingual/alveolar crest in 77.87% of the cases. Furthermore, the LN was found to enter the tongue under the submandibular duct in 68.39% of the cases. Knowledge about the anatomy of the LN is crucial for numerous oral and maxillofacial procedures such as during the extraction of the third molar.

A Standardized Step-by-step Technique to Protect Lingual Flap During Third Molar Surgery Avoiding Lingual Nerve Injury: a Retrospective Analysis

“…According to Patryk Ostrowski metanalysis, The LN was found to be located: below the lingual/alveolar crest in 77.87% of the cases, above the lingual/ alveolar crest in 8.21%, and in direct contact with the lingual plate in 37.61% of examined nerves [32].…”

“…Injuries to the lingual nerve during surgical procedures involving the third molar region necessitate a comprehensive study of its common pathway and signi cant variations. Reports indicate a varied incidence (ranging from 0 to 62%) of direct contact between the lingual nerve and the alveolar wall of the third molar [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40].…”

Treatment options for oropharyngeal carcinoma — An umbrella review

“…The anatomy of the head and neck region is highly complex, making surgical treatment of OPSCC challenging [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45]. Surgical treatment of OPSCC has historically consisted of extensive open surgeries with large incisions and mandibulotomies.…”

The surgical anatomy of the inferior alveolar nerve: a meta-analysis with clinical implications

“…The anatomy of the IAN is highly variable, and numerous studies have analyzed this anatomical entity. Being aware of the spatial relations of the IAN with the surrounding anatomical landmarks may help physicians locate this vital nerve and therefore decrease the risk of injuring it [22,32,33]. The IAN is said to run through the mandibular canal.…”