title: [Important adjacent relationship of external maxillary artery and clinic significances].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the important adjacent relationship of the external maxillary artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 pieces of complete head-neck samples were dissected layer by layer (only one side per sample), then the adjacent structures of the external maxillary artery, such as the submandibular gland, the anterior facial vein, the marginal mandibular branches of facial nerve and the submandibular lymphatic nodes were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1. 60% of external maxillary artery lay on the bottom of submandibular gland, 38.3% went through the gland and 1.7% on the surface of the gland; 2. 90% of marginal mandibular branches of facial nerve went through the surface of external maxillary artery, 5% on the bottom and 5% encircled and gripped the artery; 3. 6.7% of anterior facial vein lay on the bottom of submandibular gland and accompanied external maxillary artery, 5% went through the gland and accompanied the artery, 88.3% went on the surface of the gland and didn't accompany the artery; 4. There were constant lymphatic nodes in front of and behind the external maxillary artery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The adjacent relationship of external maxillary artery is complex, and it is significant for doctors to know the above important structures around the artery.
authors.affiliation: Second Affiliated Hospital, Hubei Medical University.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology