RESUMEN
Marginal mandibular nerve is one of the five terminal motor branches of facial nerve given in the substance of parotid gland. Injury to this nerve during surgical procedures hampers the actions of muscles of the lip and chin causing functional and aesthetic impairment. This study on number of rami and communication of marginal mandibular nerve will benefit maxillofacial, general, cosmetic /plastic surgeons to safely prevent iatrogenic injury to this important branch of facial nerve. Dissection of one hundred [100] hemi-faces of adult unclaimed cadavers of both genders was done [from September 2009 to March 2010] in Forensic and Anatomy departments of King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Cadavers with any scar or mutilated face/ neck were excluded from this study. In 100 hemi faces, number of rami of marginal mandibular nerve varies from 1-3. Single branch is most common [74%] followed by two [20%] and three rami [6%]. In 36% of cases communication was seen with buccal branch, 1% with cervical branch, with both buccal and cervical branches in 1% of cases. No communication with either buccal or cervical branch of facial nerve was seen in 62% of cases. Frequency of communication increases with number of Rami of marginal mandibular nerve. In our population single marginal mandibular nerve is most common [74%] which does not communicate with other branches of facial nerve frequently [74.3%]. Therefore transection of this nerve during surgical procedures can result in permanent paralysis