Anastomosis between the transverse cervical nerve and marginal mandibular nerve: how often does it occur?
Anastomoses in the neck between the sensory transverse cervical nerve (C2,3) and the cervical branch of the facial nerve are common, but communications with more superior branches of the facial nerve are rare. After we had identified a case where the transverse cervical nerve joined the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve in the submandibular triangle during a selective neck dissection, we searched for this variant in 86 neck dissections to see if it occurs more often than expected. We found it in one further patient. As this anastomosis of the nerve could easily be confused with the marginal mandibular branch itself, particularly during a more limited exposure (such as excision of a submandibular gland), our findings remind surgeons to be vigilant when dissecting in this area to minimise the risk of weakness of the lower lip postoperatively.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK. Electronic address: peter.brennan@porthosp.nhs.uk.
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PA
Brennan
Tanta University Faculty of Medicine, Egypt.
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AS
Elhamshary
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK.
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P
Alam
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK.
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R
Anand
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK; Tanta University Faculty of Medicine, Egypt.
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Ammar
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000453:epidemiology; D002572:Cervical Plexus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities*; D037981:Neck Dissection
Transverse cervical nerve; anastomosis; anatomical variant; communication; marginal mandibular nerve