Anatomical Characteristics of Facial Nerve Trunk in Vietnamese Adult Cadavers.

Background: In medical literature, there are few studies provided a precise and detailed description of the facial nerve rami and its branches.

Aim: Identify several practical anatomic landmarks related to the facial nerve main trunk and its rami.

Methods: A descriptive study, 30 cadavers in the anatomy department of UPNT from October 2012 to April 2015.

Results: The average distance from the mandibular angle to the division of the facial nerve is 40.8 mm, and is 86.6% from range 36 - 50 mm. There is 86.7% case in which the facial nerve is in the lateral of the retromandibular vein, and there is a significant difference about both sides. Eighty percent of the case has the superior and inferior ramus in the lateral to the retromandibular vein. There are 2 cases in which the superior ramus makes the circle of the vein. Eighty percent of the facial nerve is in the lateral to the external carotid artery.

Conclusion: The distance from the mandibular to the division of the facial nerve is longer. The relationship between the superior/inferior ramus and the retromandibular vein maybe not the same in both sides. In some cases, it makes the circle of the vein to cause some complication in the parotid gland surgery.