Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2016 Sep;9(3):257-262. 10.21053/ceo.2015.01137.

Histopathologic Evaluations of the Lingual Artery in Healthy Tongue of Adult Cadaver

• Mun MJ
• Lee CH
• Lee BJ
• Lee JC
• Jang JY
• Jung SH
• Wang SG

• KMID: 2353625
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2015.01137

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To clarify the anatomical distribution of the lingual artery in normal adult subjects through histopathologic evaluations.
METHODS
Eighteen healthy cadaveric tongues were used to produce 8 paraffin-embedded tissue sections each. Length from midline raphe, depth from dorsum of tongue and the whole transverse length tongue were measured. The lateral distance, depth, and proportion of lateral distance of deep lingual artery were determined from tip to base of tongue gradually. Lateral distance is length from median raphe to the center of deep lingual artery lumen. Depth is vertical distance from dorsal surface of tongue to the center of deep lingual artery. Proportion of lateral distance is obtained by dividing lateral distance with transverse length from median raphe to lateral border of tongue. The degree of symmetry between right and left sides and the difference between selected spots were evaluated.
RESULTS
Right and left sides of the lingual artery were symmetric. The lingual artery was lateralized as it run posterior. The lingual artery runs gradually deeper from the surface as it goes near the base of tongue. Both length and depth of the lingual artery gradually increased between 0%-75% of the mobile tongue, but 75%-100% zone of the lingual artery showed no significant difference. There was no anastomosis between right and left side of the lingual arteries. The lingual artery was located within 50% of the transverse length of tongue from median raphe.
CONCLUSION
The present study reveals 3-dimensional information on the anatomical distributions of the lingual artery in normal adult subjects. These findings gives us beneficial information about the handling of the lingual artery during oral and base of tongue-related surgery.

Keyword

Blood Supply, Tongue; Surgery, Oral; Anatomy and Histology, Tongue

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Arteries*
Cadaver*
Humans
Surgery, Oral
Tongue*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Cadaveric dissection of the lingual artery. Intramuscular dissection is done to identify anatomical distribution of the lingual artery. (a) Original segment which is placed around greater horn of hyoid bone. (b) Segment of hyoglossus. The lingual artery runs through hyoglossus muscle. (c) Ascending segment. The lingual artery ascends through intrinsic muscles of mobile tongue. (d) Horizontal segment, also called as a deep lingual artery (marked as an asterisk) which runs inferior surface of mobile tongue.

• 

  Fig. 2. (A) Method of tissue cutting. The mobile tongue is cut into 8 pieces. (B) Cut surface of mobile tongue (62.5% portion from tip of tongue). ‘LD’ means the lateral distance of the lingual artery from median raphe. ‘D’ means the depth of the lingual artery from dorsum of tongue. ‘W’ means half of total horizontal length of tongue. ‘M’ means median raphe. The lingual artery is marked with asterisk (H&E, ×40).

• 

  Fig. 3. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the lingual artery by Unigraphics ver. 2.0 (Unigraphics Solutions Inc., Maryland Heights, MO, USA). Bilateral lingual arteries are more lateralized (B) and placed deeper (A) as it runs from tip to base of tongue.

• 

  Fig. 4. (A, B) The LD of the lingual artery from median raphe. The graph showed gradual increase as it runs toward foramen cecum. The linear curve is obtained from average of LD. (C, D) The depth of the lingual artery. The lingual artery placed deeper in foramen cecum than tongue tip. The graph gradually increased as it approaches to tongue base. The linear curve is obtained from average of depth. (E, F) The proportion of LD. This parameter shows gradual increase but statistically no significant differences are present on right side. The left side, on the other hand, shows definite difference which is marked as an asterisk. The linear curve is obtained by average of proportion of LD. (A, C, E) Right side. (B, D, F) Left side. LD, lateral distance. *P<0.05.

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