Topographical Morphology of the Lingual Artery in Korean

Kim, Hee Jin; Kang, Min Kyu; Kim, Jin Hak; Park, Jae Han; Lee, Sang Heon; Lee, Sang Sup; Chung, In Hyuk

Abstract

In order to clarify the topographical morphology of the Korean lingual artery related to clinical problems, authors investigated the morphological variations of the lingual artery through the dissection of the deep layer of head and neck. 61 -sides of Korean adult cadavers (mean age 57.8) were used for this study. The morphlogy of the origin sites of the lingual artery were classified into three types. The cases that the superior thyroid, lingual, and facial artery were originated independently from the external carotid artery were most common (56.3%). Others were the cases that the lingual artery and the facial artery were divided from the linguofacial trunk (31.2%), and the cases that the superior thyroid artery and the lingual artery were divided from the thyreolingual trunk (12.5%) from the external carotid artery, respectively. In the topographical relationships between the first part of the lingual artery and the hyoglossus muscle, the cases that the first part of the lingual artery formed loop posterior to the hyoglossus muscle (41.2%) and the cases that the lingual artery penetrated into the medial aspect of the hyoglossus muscle passing the posterior border of this muscle (66.1%) were observed most frequently. Others were the cases that the lingual artery penetrated into the posterior muscle fiber (18.6%) and the middle muscle fiber (15.3%) of the hyoglossus muscle. The courses of the second part of the lingual artery deep to the hyoglossus muscle could be classified into two morphlogical types. One was that the second part of the lingual artery ran superiorly from the origin site and then turned abruptly towards deep portion of hyoglossus muscle. In these cases, the artery turned upward again at the inside of the muscle, and then reached to the sublingual region (42.6%). The other cases were that the lingual artery ran gradually to the medial and superior aspect of the sublingual region (57.4%). The prevalency of the sublingual arteries originating from the lingual arteries was 59%. Taken all together, authors concluded that the mouth floors of Korean are supplied by both the lingual and facial artery. So, performing the hemostatic procedures in the mouth floor region, the surgeon must take a topographical anatomy of this region related the arterial supply into account.