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The auriculotemporal nerve of man

1971; Wiley; Volume: 130; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/aja.1001300405

1553-0795

J Baumel, John P. Vanderheiden, James E. McElenney,

Meningioma and schwannoma management

Abstract The auriculotemporal nerve is commonly misrepresented in both illustrations and textual descriptions. Our 85 dissections of the nerve demonstrate that the roots of the “typical” auriculotemporal nerve do not form a tight “buttonhole” loop around the middle meningeal artery. Instead the roots outline an elongated V‐shaped interval with the roots widely separated from one another. At their junction the roots form a short trunk which immediately breaks up in line with the posterior border of the mandible into a spray of branches. The superficial temporal ramus of the auriculotemporal nerve should not be considered as the main continuation of the nerve, but merely as its largest branch. A substantial portion of the nerve makes up its two communicating rami with the facial nerve; these are the strongest and most consistent of the many peripheral communications between trigeminal and facial nerves. Common variations in configuration, branching, and relationships of the nerve are included.