Facial nerve

Extracranial course of Facial nerve

Facial nerve is the seventh cranial nerve. It comes out of skull through stylomastoid foramen (which lies between styloid and mastoid processes).

Here it turns forwards and pierces the parotid gland. In the parotid gland it remains superficial to retromandiublar vein and external carotid artery.

Then it divides into temporo-facial and cervico-facial trunks.

Temporofacial trunk gives temporal and zygomatic branches.

Cervicofacial trunk gives buccal, marginal mandibular & cervical branches.

The five terminal branches radiate through anterior border of parotid gland.

These terminal branches of facial nerve provide motor supply to the facial muscles.