[Masticatory sysarcosis. Significance in maxillofacial surgery and pathology]

The masticatory muscles and the vertical ramus move in a closed aponeurotic lodge; sliding spaces containing cellulo-adipose formations, veritable sysarcoses, are situated between the muscles of mastication as well as between these muscles and their osteo-aponeurotic covering. Sysarcoses are embryological, anatomical and functional units. Bichat's ball must be considered as being the antero-inferior pole of these cellulo-adipose containing spaces. Apart from the mechanical role of these spaces, their value in pathology and in traumatological surgery must again be pointed out, because firstly they are the pathways of approach and fixation of fractures of the zygomamalar region. They are also of great value in reparatory surgery as knowledge of the vascularization of the fat in these spaces enables the making of flaps of fat in the surrounding area.