Resumen de An anatomic study of the positional relationships between the lateral pterygoid muscle and its surrounding nerves.

T. Shimokawa, K. Akita, T. Sato

• We investigated forty-five head halves of 25 Japanese cadavers in order to obtain precise anatomical knowledge of the courses and distribution of the branches of the mandibular nerve positionally related to the lateral pterygoid muscle. After complete removal of the bony elements, several patterns of the positional relationships between the lateral pterygoid and surrounding nerves were noted. The lateral pterygoid is innervated by branches of the anterior and middle deep temporal nerves, the main trunk of the mandibular nerve and the auriculotemporal nerve, and by branches originating from the forks of these nerves. In two specimens, the buccal nerve was composed of the root from the common trunk with the anterior deep temporal nerve and the root of the middle deep temporal nerve. Based on the positional relationships between the masticatory muscles and the branches of the mandibular nerve, the lateral pterygoid is located in the center of the muscles. Variations in the nerve routes related to the lateral pterygoid are considered to reflect the variability of the differentiation patterns of the anlage of the muscle.