Finding the Main Trunk of the Facial Nerve: The Fat Lobule.

Maddalozzo, John; Kozak, Kyle J; Farrell, Annie · Laryngoscope · 2025

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Abstract

Multiple methods and landmarks for identifying the facial nerve during parotidectomy have been described. This study describes a novel landmark which can be consistently utilized to assist in the identification of the main trunk of the facial nerve during parotidectomy. There lies a discreet fat lobule which sits just lateral to the main trunk of the facial nerve that can be utilized as an additional landmark when performing a primary parotidectomy.

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