A Study on Facial Artery Variation and its Clinical Implication for Facial Surgeries.

Introduction: Accurate knowledge of the normal and variant arterial anatomy of the facial artery is important for vascular radiology and will provide an anatomical basis to assist surgeons in performing maxillo-facial surgeries successfully. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed faces of unknown sex adult cadavers were dissected following the Cunningham’s manual of practical anatomy, volume 3. The age of the cadavers was not noted. Results: The variations in the facial artery were grouped under three categories following the classification of Bayramet.al, 2010. Type I category – Facial artery terminated as angular artery ; Type II category – facial artery terminated as superior labial ; Type III – Facial artery terminated as inferior labial .In present study (type-II) is seen. Premasseteric branch was observed. Discussion: Niranjan NS (1988) observed the variations of facial artery in 50 hemi-faces. According to him, facial artery terminated as angular artery in 68 % of hemi-faces, lateral nasal artery in 26% of hemi-faces, Superior labial artery in 4% of hemi-faces and 2% terminated at the alar base 12. In present study facial artery terminates as superior labial artery. A study conducted by Magden et.al (2009) , on the premasseteric branch, suggested that in 3% cases the diameter of premasseteric branch was larger than the facial artery. Conclusion: This study shows that the variation in the branching pattern of facial artery variations, which help in avoiding the mishaps during certain surgical procedures.

Morphometric Analysis of the Facial Artery in Perioral Region / 체질인류학회지

The facial artery is the largest and main arterial supply of the face, and the inferior and superior labial arteries supply blood to the lower and upper lips and intersect on the opposite site. The aim of this study was to provide quantitative data on the course of facial artery and the distribution of inferior and superior labial artery in perioral region. The location, distance, course, and diameter of the facial artery, inferior labial artery, and superior labial artery were measured directly on 50 hemifacial cadavers of Koreans and statistically analyzed using oneway ANOVA. The facial artery was located 18.50 mm lateral to the mouth corners (Cheilions). The inferior labial artery at its origin was located 15.11 mm inferior and 19.63 mm lateral to the Cheilions. The superior labial artery at its origin was located 5.83 mm superior and 11.28 mm lateral to the Cheilions. The diameter of facial artery, inferior labial artery, and superior labial artery was 2.19, 1.56, and 1.48 mm, respectively. The courses of the facial artery and it's branches showed no significant differences on laterality except for the diameter of the superior labial artery (p=0.026). The buccal branch of facial artery was showed in 44% of the cases in the deep layer of perioral region. In conclusion, this study provides that the data will be useful in predicting the courses of the facial artery and helpful for reconstructive surgery in perioral region.

Topography of Superficial Arteries on the Face / 체질인류학회지

The facial artery (FA) and superficial temporal artery (STA) from the external carotid artery and the supraorbital, supra- and infratrochlear arteries from the internal carotid artery are the superficial arteries distributing to the face. It was broadly known that the FA winds on the antegonial notch, ascends superomedially and finally reaches to the medial canthus area as forming the angular artery (AA). However many previous studies reported that the AA was only observed in 4~68% in their studies. The superior labial artery (SLA) from the FA issues the superficial and deep septal artery proceeding superiorly toward the nasal septum. It was reported that the nasal branches were ramified from the FA, after the bifurcation of the SLA in most Korean cadavers, and it seems that the lateral nasal and dorsal nasal arteries are crucial vasculature of the external nose. The branches of the ophthalmic artery distribute the glabellar and forehead, and they form anastomoses each other or are communicated to the AA. The topography of the superficial arteries of face is very important in the reconstructive surgery and non-invasive treatment such as the botulinum neurotoxin type A or dermal filler injection.