The Presence of a Zygomatic Nerve Plexus in a Cadaveric Specimen Without a Zygomatic Branch of the Facial Nerve.

The extratemporal course of the facial nerve distributes in facial mimic muscles in a complex pattern. The traditional depictions of five main branches without anastomoses are not common. Davis classification remains the gold standard in the classification of facial nerve branching patterns. During a routine dissection of an 74-year-old male cadaveric specimen, we detected a very rare anatomical variation. The zygomatic branch of the facial nerve was totally absent. The temporofacial division of the main trunk was bifurcated to a temporal and a buccal branch. The anterior temporal and posterior buccal branches formed a plexus to supply the orbicularis oculi muscle. This unique variability highlights the complexity of the extratemporal facial nerve course. Retrograde facial nerve dissection requires deep knowledge of every anatomical variation of the facial nerve course to avoid an iatrogenic injury. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-03601-y.

A Cadaveric Case of an Accessory Cleido-Occipital Muscle Over the Common Trunk of the Supraclavicular Nerves.

The current study describes a case of an aberrant cleido-occipital muscle. In particular, this muscle was arising from the middle part of the clavicle, inserted into the medial part of the upper trapezius muscle, and crossed over the supraclavicular nerves with possible compression of them, especially during shoulder abduction. Knowledge of the muscular variability of the posterior cervical triangle is crucial for supraclavicular nerve entrapment syndrome diagnosis and treatment. The appearance of aberrant muscular fascicles may lead to misinterpretation of neck imaging, as well as difficulties during surgical procedures undertaken in the region.

Early Trifurcation of the Mandibular Branch of the Facial Nerve in a Cadaveric Specimen.

Rare facial nerve branching patterns, pose dangers due to their unexpected course. Cases with multiple branches may reduce the intraoperative risk, due to the compensation of adjacent branches. We present a case of a cadaveric specimen where an early trifurcation of the mandibular branch of the facial nerve was noted. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-022-03352-2.