Summary
Introduction
The motor nerve to the masseter muscle is increasingly being used for facial reanimation
procedures. However, many surgeons have been reluctant to use this versatile source
of axons because of difficulty in locating it intraoperatively. In this study we conducted
a detailed assessment of its gross and microscopic anatomy and develop a simple, reliable
method for locating this nerve.
Methods
We defined the anatomy of the nerve to the masseter, in particular its relationship
to common surgical landmarks such as the auricular tragus and the zygomatic arch,
and determined its intramuscular anatomy. We also performed a histomorphometric analysis.
Results
The anatomy of the motor nerve to the masseter was consistent. A convenient starting
point for its dissection was found 3.16 ± 0.30 cm anterior to the tragus at a level
1.08 ± 0.18 cm inferior to the zygomatic arch. The nerve was located 1.48 ± 0.19 cm
deep to the superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) at this point. Relative
to the zygomatic arch, the nerve formed an angle of 50 ± 7.6° as it coursed distally
into the masseter muscle. The distance from the arch to the first branch of the motor
nerve to the masseter was 1.33 ± 0.20 cm. The histomorphometric analysis demonstrated
that the motor nerve to the masseter contained an average of 2775 ± 470 myelinated
fibers.
Conclusions
Successful intraoperative location of the motor nerve to the masseter is facilitated
by knowledge of its anatomy relative to standard surgical landmarks. A consistent
and convenient starting point for dissection of this nerve is found 3 cm anterior
to the tragus and 1 cm inferior to the zygomatic arch. The nerve contains over 2700
myelinated fibers, demonstrating its usefulness as a source of motor innervation for
facial reanimation.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 12, 2011
Accepted:
September 17,
2011
Received:
June 25,
2011
Footnotes
☆Presented at the 2011 Meeting of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve, January, 2011, Cancun, Mexico.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
