The facial nerve is one of the key cranial nerves with a complex and broad range of functions. Although at first glance it is the motor nerve of facial expression which begins as a trunk and emerges from the parotid gland as five branches see facial nerve branches mnemonic , it has taste and parasympathetic fibers that relay in a complex manner. The facial nerve is the only cranial nerve that may show normal post-contrast enhancement, although this applies only to the labyrinthine segment up to the stylomastoid foramen. Enhancement of the other segments of the facial nerve and other cranial nerves is considered pathologic. Refer to normal facial nerve enhancement on MRI for more information.

Patient Safety in Surgery volume 12 , Article number: 23 Cite this article. Metrics details. The marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve is vulnerable to iatrogenic injuries during surgeries involving the submandibular region. This leads to significant post-operative morbidity. Studies assessing accurate anatomical landmarks of the marginal mandibular branch are sparse in South Asian countries. Present study was conducted to assess the relationship between the marginal mandibular branch and the inferior border of the body of mandible. Twenty-two preserved cadavers of Sri Lankan nationality were selected.

The facial nerve is the 7th cranial nerve and carries nerve fibers that control facial movement and expression. It has small branches involved in moderating our sensitivity to noise volume stapedius muscle and several other muscles not involved in routine facial expression 1. The cells that transmit information within the facial nerve originate in the base of the brain, or the brain stem, in a region called the pons. The nerve must therefore travel through the base of the skull in order to reach the face.

NCBI Bookshelf. Dominika Dulak ; Imama A. Authors Dominika Dulak 1 ; Imama A.