title: Topographic relationships between the transverse facial artery, branches of the facial nerve, and the parotid duct in the lateral midface in a Korean population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aims of the present study were to clarify the topographic relationships between various structures in the lateral midface and to provide important anatomical information pertinent to face lifting or treatment of damage to the midface structure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two fixed cadavers were dissected (23 males and 9 females; mean age, 66.8 years) and 55 sides of midface were used. The transverse facial artery (TFA), zygomatic branch (Zb) and buccal branch (Bb) of the facial nerve, and the parotid duct (PD) were identified. The structures of the lateral midface were measured relative to the zygion and tragion. The vertical average distances from the zygion to each structure increased in the following order: ZB of the facial nerve, TFA, first Bb of the facial nerve, and PD. The horizontal average distance from the tragion to the point of emergence from anterior border of the parotid gland was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TFA was the closest and the third Bb of the facial nerve was the farthest away. The angles between the horizontal line and ZB of the facial nerve, TFA, PD, and first Bb of the facial nerve were +10.4, -2.3, -18.5, and -27.1 degrees, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results may be used to establish the precise locations and the courses of the important midface structures, and represent valuable data that may help to prevent complications during surgery for face lifting and reconstruction of the facial nerve and PD.
authors: From the Departments of *Anatomy, and †Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ju-Young
authors: JY
authors: Lee
authors: Jeong-Nam
authors: JN
authors: Kim
authors: Ja-Young
authors: JY
authors: Yoo
authors: Kang-Jae
authors: KJ
authors: Shin
authors: Wu-Chul
authors: WC
authors: Song
authors: Ki-Seok
authors: KS
authors: Koh
authors: Soon-Heum
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Hyun-Gon
authors: HG
authors: Choi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D044466:Asian People; D002102:Cadaver; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D018987:Salivary Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology*