Analyzing the Anatomical Characteristics of the Facial Artery Branches: A Human Cadaveric Study

The facial artery is the predominant branch of the external carotid artery supplying blood to the head and neck regions. Knowledge regarding the anatomical path and distribution of each facial artery's branches is essential. The aim of the study is to assess the levels, establish the reference positions of each branch of the facial artery to reliable landmarks in the face and neck regions, and evaluate the outer diameter and linear measurement.

A prospective single-center cadaveric study was done on 60 hemifaces from 30 properly embalmed and formalin-fixed male cadavers. The statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22 (Released 2013; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics have been applied. Nonparametric analysis and the tests of normality were used. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the various parameters between the left and right sides of each branch of the facial artery.

The average length and diameter of each branch of the facial artery measured in millimeters are as follows: superior labial, 27.3 ± 9.17 mm and 1.6 ± 0.2 mm; inferior labial, 31.5 ± 7.86 mm and 1.3 ± 0.6 mm; lateral nasal, 10.6 ± 4.55 mm and 0.74 ± 0.2 mm; angular, 29.65 ± 7.93 mm and 0.8 ± 0.2 mm; and submental, 35.9 ± 5.3 mm and 0.9 ± 0.4 mm. Statistically, there is no remarkable variation between the left and right sides except the submental artery, which shows a remarkable difference based on the origin between the left side and right side with a p-value of 0.039.

This study's findings will enable surgeons to more efficiently plan and design reconstructive flaps based on the facial artery, pertaining to this specific ethnic population (Indian origin), which is not available in published history until now.