Table 1 MMN branches and communications

Balagopal

Neck dissection in 202 patients

Point where facial artery crosses lower mandibular border

1 branch, 79.7%

2 branches, 12.9%

3 branches, 6.9%

4 branches, 1 patient

41 patients showed communication with cervical branch of FN

Batra

Embalmed cadavers, 50 facial hemi-halves

Facial artery palpated at antero-inferior angle of masseter, inferior border, and angle of mandible

MMN showed more branches at termination (84%) than in its origin and course

Anastomosis with the following:

1. Buccal branch of FN—12%

2. Mental nerve—28%

Al-Hayani

Post-mortem study in 50 subjects

Lower border of mandible

1 branch, 32 %

2 branches, 40%

3 branches, 28%

Kim

Cadaver dissection of 85 facial halves

Go, facial artery, retromandibular vein

1 branch, 28%

2 branch, 52%

3 branches, 18%

4 branches, 2%

Type I (60%)—no communication

Type II (40%)—communication with buccal, cervical, or other MMN branches

Karapinar

Cadaver dissection of 44 facial halves

Inferior border of mandible

1 branch, 36.4%

2 branches, 63.6%

Communication with buccal branch of FN in 4.6 %

Woltmann

45 hemifaces of 27 Brazillian cadavers

Inferior border of mandible

1 branch, 31.11%

2 branches, 60%

3 branches, 8.88%

Buccal branch of FN—42.22%

Cervical branch of FN—22.22%

No anastomosis—35.55%

S Toure

Cadaver dissection study on 54 cadavers

Inferior border and angle of mandible

1 branch, 43%

2 branches, 44%

3 branches, 13%

Ziarah

110 cadaveric cervico-facial halves

1 branch, 37.7%

2 branches, 52.9%

3 branches, 11.4%

Buccal branch of FN—8%

Cervical branch of FN—12%

Dingman

100 embalmed cadaveric dissections

Inferior border and facial vessels

1 branch, 21%

2 branches, 67%

3 branches, 9%

4 branches, 3%

Wang

120 cadaveric facial halves

Inferior border of mandible, facial vessels

No branch, 32%

2 or more branches, 68%

60%—anastomosis with buccal branch of FN

G Toure

Cadaver dissection on 62 half heads

Facial vessels

1 branch, 22.6%

2 branches, 29%

3 branches, 12.9%

4 branches or more, 35.48%

Anastomosis with mental nerve—all cases

With buccal branch of FN—42 cases

With buccal branch of mandibular nerve—40 cases

Huu-Mu Yang

Cadaver dissection of 12 embalmed and 4 fresh cadavers

Gonion, facial artery, Inferior border of mandible

55.2%—MMN offshoots inferior to mandible

MMN crossed Go as a single branch in 86.2%.

MMN bifurcated superio-posterior to Go in 13.8%.

Avg of 1.5 ± 0.6 branches of MMN with more offshoots in inferiorly located nerve

Khanfour

Cadaver dissection of 30 specimens

Inferior border of mandible

1 branch, 36.7%

2 branches, 43.3%

3 branches, 20%

Communications with the following:

1. Main or secondary branches—53.6%

2. Buccal branch of FN—40%

3. Anterior branch of great auricular nerve—3.3%

4. Transverse cervical nerve—.3%