Anat Cell Biol.  2021 Sep;54(3):304-307. 10.5115/acb.21.019.

Localizing the nerve to the mylohyoid using the mylohyoid triangle

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • 2Department of Neurology, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • 3Dental and Oral Medical Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
  • 4Division of Gross and Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
  • 5Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Human Identification Research Institute, BK21 FOUR Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea.
  • 6Department of Normal and Clinical Anatomy, Chair of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
  • 7Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
  • 8Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
  • 9Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada, USA.
  • 10Department of Structural & Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • 11Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Abstract

The nerve to the mylohyoid muscle has been well studied but there are no specific anatomical landmarks for identifying it. Therefore, we aimed to identify anatomical landmarks for localizing the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle in the submandibular region. Sixteen sides from eight embalmed Caucasian cadaveric heads were used in this study. The mean age at the time of death of the specimens was 80.3 years. The anterior and posterior bellies of the digastric muscle, submental artery, and mylohyoid muscle were dissected to verify their relationships with the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle. The nerve to the mylohyoid muscle was found medial to the submental artery, lateral to the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, and anterior to the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle on all sides. Herein, we identified what we term the mylohyoid triangle. This anatomical region can help localize the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle.

Keyword

Nerve to mylohyoid muscle; Submental island flap; Reconstructive surgery; Head and neck surgery; Submental artery

Figure

  • Fig. 1 The mylohyoid triangle (B) and the adjacent anatomical structures that form its borders (A).


Reference

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