An anatomical study on the lingual-facial trunk.

PURPOSE

We quantified variations of the lingual artery origin, measured the lingual artery origin distance from clinical relevant landmarks and compared the lingual artery diameters with normal and variable origin.

METHODS

Forty-two formalin fixed male cadavers were bilaterally evaluated. Measurements were performed with the aid of an electronic digital caliper.

RESULTS

The origin distances from the common carotid artery bifurcation was 1.05 +/- 0.11 and 1.02 +/- 0.11 cm for the right and left lingual arteries respectively with no differences compared to the lingual-facial trunks. The diameters of the lingual arteries were 0.25 +/- 0.01 and 0.26 +/- 0.01 cm for the right and left sides, respectively, while the lingual-facial trunks showed diameters of 0.21 +/- 0.02 and 0.24 +/- 0.02 cm for the right and left sides, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study adds information on the lingual artery diameter and its anatomical relation to clinically useful landmarks.