A pictorial review of rare anatomical variations of the facial, spinal accessory and cervical nerves reported in Portsmouth in the last decade

Abstract

Over the last ten years during neck dissection surgery we have found four interesting anatomical nerve variants that fall outside existing classifications for the accessory, facial and cervical nerves. Firstly, a case highlighting a communication between the anterior division of the great auricular nerve and the marginal mandibular nerve. A second case demonstrated a high division of the accessory nerve prior to entering the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The third anatomical variant reported was a communication between the transverse cervical nerve and marginal mandibular nerve and finally, the accessory nerve communicating with the second branch of the cervical plexus. These anatomical features have never been reported in the literature previously and have important clinical implications during surgery and post-operatively. A pictorial review of these anatomical variants and a summary of their clinical importance will be presented. Poster presentations for BAOMS Annual Scientific Meeting 2-4 July 2014, Edinburgh International Conference Centre, ScotlandBritish Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryVol. 52Issue 8Preview Full-Text PDF