Facial nerve: vascular-related anatomy at the stylomastoid foramen.
We dissected 30 facial nerves in fresh cadavers after arterial casting with red latex to provide specific information about the arterial-related anatomy of the trunk of the facial nerve from the stylomastoid foramen to its bifurcation. We found that a wide anatomic variability does exist. The trunk of the facial nerve was in proximity to the stylomastoid artery, which originated from the posterior auricular artery in 70% of the specimens (21/30), from the occipital artery in 20% (6/30), and directly from the external carotid artery in 10% (3/30). The stylomastoid artery passed medially to the trunk of the facial nerve in 63 of the specimens (19/30) and laterally in 37% (11/30). Among these 11 specimens, 8 were large-caliber stylomastoid arteries. During parotid surgery, the main trunk of the facial nerve may be difficult to identify, because a large-caliber stylomastoid artery can mask it. Therefore, it is important to dissect this artery with caution.
Moreau
S
S
Department of Anatomy, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire, Caen, France.
Bourdon
N
N
Salame
E
E
Goullet de Rugy
M
M
Babin
E
E
Valdazo
A
A
Delmas
P
P
D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply*