A review of the tragal pointer: anatomy and its importance as a landmark in surgical procedures.
The tragal pointer has long been used as a surgical landmark for the identification of the facial nerve trunk and the maxillary artery in such procedures as parotidectomy, internal fixation of subcondylar and condylar fractures, mandibular  osteotomy, temporomandibular joint arthroplasty, and percutaneous  blocks of branches of the trigeminal nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion. Aside from its use as an external landmark, it has also been implicated as a contributor  to crease formation in the presence of peripheral arterial disease. This article will review the available literature on the tragal pointer's use as an external  landmark.
Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies.
M A
MA
Muhleman
C T
CT
Wartmann
R
R
Hage
P
P
Matusz
M M
MM
Shoja
R S
RS
Tubbs
M
M
Loukas
D004210:Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*