Facial Nerve in Parotid Surgery- do Landmarks Differ With Varying Statures?

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Surgical Anatomy
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• The facial nerve (VII cranial nerve) is vital for facial expression and motor control.
• Precise anatomical knowledge of the facial nerve's extratemporal segment is critical for surgical safety.
• Understanding variations in facial nerve anatomy relative to specific landmarks can improve surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the distances of the facial nerve from the tragal pointer, tympanic plate, and digastric muscle.
• To determine the length of the extratemporal facial nerve trunk.
• To investigate potential correlations between these measurements and patient stature (height and weight).

Main Methods:

• Intraoperative measurements were conducted using Castroviejo Calipers.
• Key distances measured included the facial nerve to tragal pointer, tympanic plate, and digastric muscle.
• Patient height and weight were recorded and analyzed alongside anatomical measurements.

Main Results:

• The average extratemporal facial nerve trunk length was 1 ± 0.2 cm.
• Average distances from landmarks were: tragal pointer (1 ± 0.1 cm), tympanic plate (0.3 ± 0.2 cm), and digastric muscle (0.2 ± 0.1 cm).
• No significant differences in these measurements were observed across varying patient statures.

Conclusions:

• The anatomical landmarks of the extratemporal facial nerve demonstrate consistent measurements.
• Patient stature does not appear to be a significant factor influencing the measured distances of the facial nerve.
• These findings provide valuable anatomical data for surgeons operating in the vicinity of the facial nerve.