Anat Cell Biol.  2022 Sep;55(3):380-383. 10.5115/acb.22.016.

A large sublingual glandular branch of the lingual nerve: a rare case report

• Albuck A
• Haikata Y
• Watanabe K
• Tubbs RS
• Iwanaga J

• KMID: 2533365
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.22.016

Abstract

While the route, location, and pathology of the lingual nerve has been detailed extensively in reports in the literature, its terminal branch to the sublingual gland is often overlooked. It is known, via both gross and histological observation, that the sublingual glandular branch terminates at the posterior aspect of the sublingual gland. Upon routine cadaveric dissection of a male cadaver, one of the lingual nerve branches was found to terminate at the anteroinferior portion of a herniated sublingual gland. This specific course has not previously been discussed or reported via gross or histological observation. Therefore, a timely review of the lingual nerve’s terminal sublingual glandular branch’s anatomy and clinical significance pertaining to this case is warranted. Surgeons who treat patients with submental masses should be aware of the anatomy of this nerve and the potential variance described here in order to avoid postprocedural complications.

Keyword

Glandular branch; Lingual nerve; Sublingual gland; Herniation

Figure

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  Fig. 1 A large branch (red arrow) of the LN running lateral to the SLG. LN, lingual nerve; MHM, mylohyoid muscle; SLG, sublingual gland.

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  Fig. 2 A branch (red arrows) of the lingual nerve (LN) entering the herniated part of the sublingual gland (SLG). Note the connection of the branch to the herniated part of the SLG in the defect of the mylohyoid muscle (MHM). (A) SLG being turned medially. (B) SLG being turned superiorly.

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  Fig. 3 Histological observation with H&E staining showing the fibrous tissue (harvested from the rectangular area in the left bottom image) was nerve tissue. Scale bar: 200 μm.

Reference

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