A Morphological Study of the Parotid Gland and the Peripheral Branches of the Facial Nerve in Koreans

ABSTRACT

In this study, 45 parotid glands and 111 facial nerves were examined in adult Korean cadavers to determine the morphological relationship of the parotid gland and the peripheral facial nerve. The results are summarized below; (1) The average length of the parotid gland was 54.7mm and the width averaged 32.9mm, and the gland was slightly larger in males. (2) The shape of the parotid gland was classified into four types and the series contained 66.7% type A, 15.5% type B, 8.9% type C and 8.9% type D. Type A was the most common type. (3) The patterns of tributory ducts into Stenson's duct were divided into 5 types and the series showed 42.2% type a, 26.7% type b 4.4% type c, 4.4% type d, 22.3% type e. The frequency of occurrence of accessory glands was 22%. (4) The average distance from the external angle of the mandible to the bifurcation of the facial nerve trunk was 28.8mm. (5) A pattern of trifurcation of the main facial nerve trunk was discovered in 4.4% of the cases. (6) The pattern of anastomosis of the peripheral branches of the facial nerve was classified into six types, and the rate of occurrence of each type was type I 6.3%, type II 13.5 %, type III 33.4%, type IV 23.4%, type V 6.3%, type VI 17.1%.