Loyola University Medical Education Network Step 1 -
Dissection of the Face

  1. With areful skinning, you will expose the muscles of facial expression (see Grant's 7.10; Netter's 22).
    NOTE: Many of the muscles of facial expression are not well developed in elderly people. Don't get frustrated if you can't find many, but be sure to see better examples on other cadavers.

  2. This dissection the orbicularis oculi (1) and zygomaticus major (2). Find the branches of the facial nerve (3), facial artery (4), parotid gland and duct (5), superficial temporal artery (6) and auriculotemporal nerve (7) as demonstrated (video). Locate the three trigeminal branches (supraorbital, infraorbital, mental) that exit similar named foramina along a vertical line along the face.

    Dissect the facial nerve from the parotid gland to where it exits the stylomastoid foramen. As you do so, find and clean the external carotid artery as the passes deep to the posterior belly of digastric and stylohyoid muscles and along the posterio-medial border of the ramus of the mandible. The styloid process is a useful landmark, palpate it!

John A. McNulty, Ph.D.
Updated: Oct 17, 2005
Created: Dec 22, 1996