PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Karapinar, Ugur
AU  - Kilic, Cenk
AU  - Cetin, Bilal
AU  - Saglam, Omer
AU  - Dursun, Engin
AU  - Durmus, Muzaffer
TI  - The course of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve in adult cadavers. An anatomic study
DP  - 2013 Apr 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 364--368
VI  - 34
IP  - 4
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/4/364.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/4/364.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2013 Apr 01; 34
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the course of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve (MMBFN) and its relation to the inferior border of the mandible and facial vessels.METHODS: This cadaveric study was conducted at the Department of Anatomy, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey from April to September 2012. The 44 facial halves of 22 adult cadavers were dissected under a stereomicroscope.RESULTS: The nerve was found to be presented by one branch (36.4%), and 2 branches (63.6%). The distance of the nerve from the inferior border of the mandible varied from 13.06-40.08 mm, with an average distance of 21.91 mm. There were communications with buccal branch only in 2 specimens (4.6%). All the branches of the marginal mandibular branch ran laterally to the facial artery in 43 (97.7%) of the 44 specimens. In one specimen, the 2 marginal mandibular branches ran between the facial artery and vein.CONCLUSION: The MMBFN can occasionally be damaged during surgeries confined to the submandibular region due to its location and anatomical variant. The most common pattern of MMBFN was nerve with 2 branches. The maximum distance between the MMBFN and the mandible was 40.08 mm. This anatomical knowledge may be useful to surgeons of the head and neck in planning incisions and procedures in the submandibular region.