The marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve in Koreans

Abstract

The marginal mandibular branch (MMB) has a particular risk of injury during surgical procedures in the submandibular region, especially over the lower border of the mandible. The facial nerve has been described in many studies, but the MMB is dealt with generally as a branch of the facial nerve. The purpose of this study was to document the anatomy of the MMB by correlation with anatomical landmarks. Eighty-five facial halves were examined for this study. The MMB was classified according to the number of branches and their connections with other branches, and by its relationship with landmarks of the gonion, facial artery, and retromandibular vein. The MMB showed one (28%), two (52%), three (18%), or four branches (2%) where it exited the parotid gland. Classification was based on connection with other branches. Type I (60%) did not communicate with other branches. Type II (40%) communicated with the buccal or cervical branches, or with another branch of the MMB. The cervicofacial division coursed along the lateral aspect of the retromandibular vein in 83% of specimens. The MMB passed the facial artery superficially (42%), passed it deeply in 4%, and ran on both sides of it in 54% of the facial halves. The distribution of the MMB formed a quadrilateral with angles +19.8 mm, -8.1 mm, +30.0 mm, and -15.3 mm measured from two sides on the inferior border of the mandible. These topographical data should help to decrease the incidence of injuries during surgery on the submandibular regions in Koreans.

The Mandibular Landmarks about the Facial Artery and Vein with Multidetector Computed Tomography Angiography (MDCTA): an Anatomical and Radiological Morphometric Study

“…Several researchers described the course of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve in relationship to the lower edge of the mandible (Basar et al, 1997;Kim et al, 2009;Potgieter et al, 2005). Facial vessels show the close contact with the marginal mandibular branch at the mandibular crossing point.…”

Anatomic variability in the relation between the retromandibular vein and the facial nerve: a case report, literature review and classification

“…In the same study, the nerve was found medial to the vein in 17% of the cases, from which in 6% it divided after crossing the vein and in 11% before. No significant difference was found according to gender [11]. Additionally, Dingman and Grabb [6] noticed that the RV was located on the medial side of the mandibular branch of the FN in 98% (98/100) and lateral in 2% (2/100) of the specimens.…”

“…The authors also noticed that in 74% of the cases, the vein crossed the nerve at a level between the bifurcation and ramification points [12]. After examining 85 facial halves in cadavers, Kim et al [11] observed lateral position of the FN cervicofacial division in relation to the vein in 83%. From these cases, in 52% the nerve was divided into its branches after crossing the vein, whilst in 31% the division occurred before the crossing point level.…”

Quantitative analysis of the terminal branches of facial nerve in fresh frozen head and neck specimens

“…From these branches; 1 of them was buccal, 3 of them were marginal mandibular and 1 of them was cervical. Kim et al [8] and Lineweaver et al [9] have reported a high percentage of 2 and 3 branched marginal mandibular nerves. In the study of Farahvash et al [6], a single marginal mandibular branch was seen in 95.7% of the cadavers.…”