title: An anatomical study on the lingual-facial trunk.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We quantified variations of the lingual artery origin, measured the lingual artery origin distance from clinical relevant landmarks and compared the lingual artery diameters with normal and variable origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two formalin fixed male cadavers were bilaterally evaluated. Measurements were performed with the aid of an electronic digital caliper.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The origin distances from the common carotid artery bifurcation was 1.05 +/- 0.11 and 1.02 +/- 0.11 cm for the right and left lingual arteries respectively with no differences compared to the lingual-facial trunks. The diameters of the lingual arteries were 0.25 +/- 0.01 and 0.26 +/- 0.01 cm for the right and left sides, respectively, while the lingual-facial trunks showed diameters of 0.21 +/- 0.02 and 0.24 +/- 0.02 cm for the right and left sides, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study adds information on the lingual artery diameter and its anatomical relation to clinically useful landmarks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil. vpsfazan@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Valéria Paula Sassoli
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Fazan
authors.forename: Jefferson Hilário Nery
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Celso Teixeira
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Rogério Alves
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Abadio Gonçalves
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Omar Andrade Rodrigues
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Filho
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply*