Anatomy of the Parotid Gland and Duct

Study Notes

Largest salivary gland, located below the ear, between the ramus of the mandible and the sternomastoid muscle.
Enclosed by a capsule formed by the deep cervical fascia, except at the upper part.
Superficial layer of the capsule is thickened and adherent to the gland.
Divided into 2 parts:
- Superficial (80%): located over the posterior part of the ramus of the mandible.
- Deep (20%): located behind the mandible and medial pterygoid muscle, near the mastoid and styloid process.
Contains an accessory parotid gland, a prolongation of the main gland, along the parotid duct.
Structures within the parotid gland from deep to superficial
- External carotid artery, maxillary artery, superficial temporal artery, posterior auricular artery
- Retromandibular vein
- Facial nerve with its branches

2-3 mm in diameter, 5 cm in length.
Begins behind the angle of the mandible, runs over the masseter muscle, and passes through the buccinator muscle.
Opens into the oral mucosa opposite the crown of the upper second molar tooth.
Blood supply: External carotid artery
Venous drainage: External jugular vein
Nerve supply:
- Parasympathetic: Secretomotor from the auriculotemporal nerve (mandibular division of trigeminal nerve)
- Sympathetic: Vasomotor from the plexus around the external carotid artery.

‘J’ shaped gland located in the anterior part of the digastric triangle.
Divided into 2 parts:
- Superficial: Located in the submandibular triangle, superficial to the mylohyoid and hyoglossus muscles, between the two bellies of the digastric muscle.
- Deep: Located in the floor of the mouth, deep to the mylohyoid muscle.
Facial artery emerges from under the stylohyoid muscle and enters the gland from the posterior and deep surface, reaching its lateral surface crossing the lower border of the mandible to enter the face.
Venous drainage: Anterior facial vein.
Nerve supply: Branches from the submandibular ganglion.

5 cm long, emerges from the deep part of the gland and enters the floor of the mouth, on the summit of the papilla beside the frenulum of the tongue.

Smallest of the major salivary glands, located in the floor of the mouth, on the lateral side of the frenulum of the tongue.
Gland drains directly into the mucosa or through a duct that drains into the submandibular duct. This duct is called the Bartholin duct.

Emerges from the stylomastoid foramen, passes around the neck of the mandible, and is divided into temporofacial and cervicofacial branches.
Branches:
- Temporal: Auricularis anterior and superior part of frontalis.
- Zygomatic: Frontalis and orbicularis oculi.
- Buccal: Buccinator, orbicularis oculi, elevators of the lip.
- Mandibular: Lower lip muscles.
- Cervical: Platysma.