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[Course of the hypoglossal nerve in tongue musculature]
G Scheiderbauer1, A Pomaroli, R Emshoff
1Universitätsklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie, Universität Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Osterreich. christoph.scheiderbauer@uibk.ac.at
Background:
The main trunk of the hypoglossal nerve enters the tongue body anterior to the hypoglossal muscle and runs in a medial direction.
Results:
Close to the lingual septum, the nerve changes its direction to a superior path and in a second change to an anterior path. The terminal branches disperse in the apical part of the tongue. To avoid injury of the hypoglossal nerve during surgical procedures within the body of the tongue, two fingerbreadth areas should be preserved. The first area lies in a vertical direction, from the entry of the nerve up to the longitudinal superior and inferior muscles. The second area extends from here in an anterior direction up to the lingual apex.