Communication Between the Transverse Cervical Nerve and the Marginal Mandibular Branch of the Facial Nerve: A Rare Anatomical Variant

Abstract

Although anatomical knowledge of the facial nerve (FN) is very important to avoid iatrogenic injury during surgery, surgeons are concerned less with the cervical branch, which plays a definitive role in lower lip esthetic and function compared with other branches of the FN. Although communication between branches of the cervical plexus and FN is not well documented, the transverse cervical nerve commonly communicates with the cervical branch of the FN. There are few reports describing direct communication with the marginal mandibular branch. As a rare anatomical variant, the authors report communication between the transverse cervical nerve and the marginal mandibular branch of the FN.