Iwanaga Joe, Kishimoto Naotaka, Ibaragi Soichiro, Cardona Juan J, Chaiyamoon Arada, Hur Mi-Sun, Nakamura Yoshiaki, Kusukawa Jingo, Tubbs R Shane
Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
Cureus. 2023 Jan 13;15(1):e33733. doi: 10.7759/cureus.33733. eCollection 2023 Jan.
Background Trigeminal-facial nerve communications have been recognized for over 100 years. More specifically, the mental nerve (MN) and marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve (MMb) communication have been studied but the termination of these branches remains unclear. Therefore, we aim to classify the anatomical communication between the MN and MMb by its course. Methods Sixty sides from thirty adult cadaveric heads were dissected. The communicating branches were dissected and observed anatomically and histologically. Results Communication between the MN and MMb was found on all sides. Based on the course, the communication was classified into two types, superior and anterior. For the superior type, a small branch of the MN and MMb join and travel superiorly to reach the lower lip area. The communication was observed at the level of the mental foramen or above it. For the anterior type, a small branch of the MN and MMb join and travel anteriorly to reach the chin area. The termination was either in the subcutaneous tissue of the chin or in the mentalis. This communication was observed below the mental foramen. Histological observation revealed that these communications contained two or more perineuria. Conclusions Although the function of such neural communications is still unclear, this study helps better understand the anatomical variants of these unions and provides a novel classification system.
背景 三叉神经与面神经的交通已被认识超过100年。更具体地说，颏神经（MN）与面神经下颌缘支（MMb）的交通已被研究，但这些分支的终末情况仍不清楚。因此，我们旨在根据其走行对MN与MMb之间的解剖学交通进行分类。方法 对30个成年尸体头部的60侧进行解剖。对交通支进行解剖，并进行解剖学和组织学观察。结果 所有侧均发现MN与MMb之间存在交通。根据走行，交通分为两种类型，即 superior 和 anterior。对于 superior 型，MN和MMb的一个小分支汇合并向上走行至下唇区域。在颏孔水平或其上方观察到交通。对于anterior型，MN和MMb的一个小分支汇合并向前走行至颏部区域。终末位于颏部的皮下组织或颏肌内。这种交通在颏孔下方观察到。组织学观察显示这些交通含有两个或更多的神经束膜。结论 尽管这种神经交通的功能仍不清楚，但本研究有助于更好地理解这些联合的解剖变异，并提供了一种新的分类系统。
