A previously unreported variant of the auriculotemporal nerve - 22/11/22

Une variante inédite du nerf auriculotemporal

Doi : 10.1016/j.morpho.2021.10.003

M.R. Cesarek ^a, Ł. Olewnik ^b, J. Iwanaga ^c,^f,^i,^j,^⁎ , A.S. Dumont ^c, R.S. Tubbs ^c,^d,^e,^f,^g,^h
^a Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
^b Department of Anatomical Dissection and Donation, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
^c Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
^d Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA
^e Department of Anatomical Sciences, Saint-George's University, Saint-George's, Grenada
^f Department of Neurology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
^g Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
^h Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
ⁱ Dental and Oral Medical Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
^j Division of Gross and Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan

^⁎Corresponding author.

Summary

Venous fenestrations are rare and when present often are not pierced by regional nerves. Herein, we report an unusual case of a fenestrated superficial temporal vein (STV). Anterior to the external ear, where the STV and superficial temporal artery normally travel with the auriculotemporal nerve (ATN), the nerve was found to pierce the STV. The fenestration within the STV was approximately 0.35mm in diameter, and there was no sign of compression of the ATN as it traversed this vessel. Following the site of penetration of the STV by the ATN, the nerve had a normal course into the skin and surrounding fascia. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a fenestrated STV being pierced by the ATN. Such an anatomical variation might be considered by clinicians who treat patients with pathology of this region.

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Keywords : Venous fenestrations, Auriculotemporal nerve, Cadaver, Anatomical variations, Superficial temporal vein