Extraosseous mental nerve anatomy in fresh-frozen Vietnamese cadavers: anatomical considerations for vestibular incisions and trocar placement in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach.

IF 1.2 4区医学 Q2 Medicine

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Pub Date : 2026-09-23 DOI:10.1007/s00276-026-04000-y

Quang Nguyen Xuan, Khoa Ngo Xuan, Hau Nguyen Xuan, Tuyen Le Quang, Quang Le Van

{"title":"Extraosseous mental nerve anatomy in fresh-frozen Vietnamese cadavers: anatomical considerations for vestibular incisions and trocar placement in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach.","authors":"Quang Nguyen Xuan, Khoa Ngo Xuan, Hau Nguyen Xuan, Tuyen Le Quang, Quang Le Van","doi":"10.1007/s00276-026-04000-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Background: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach (TOETVA) provides excellent cosmetic outcomes but introduces specific anatomical challenges related to the mental nerve. Although the location of the mental foramen has been extensively studied, detailed information regarding the extraosseous course, branching pattern, and layer-based relationships of the mental nerve remains limited. This study aimed to characterize the extraosseous anatomy of the mental nerve in fresh-frozen Vietnamese cadavers and provide anatomical information relevant to vestibular incision planning and trocar placement in TOETVA.Methods: A descriptive anatomical study was performed on 15 fresh-frozen Vietnamese adult cadavers, providing 30 mental nerves for analysis. The mental foramen and extraosseous mental nerve branches were dissected systematically. Morphometric parameters, branching patterns, and relationships between nerve branches and surrounding soft tissue layers were recorded.Results: The mental foramen was most commonly located in line with the second premolar (50.0%). The mental nerve divided early after exiting the foramen, with a mean distance to the first branching point of 3.17 ± 2.55 mm. Branching patterns showed considerable variability, with all five Hu classification types observed and side-to-side asymmetry present in 46.7% of cadavers. After exiting the foramen, the mental nerve was consistently superficial to the periosteum. The angular and lateral inferior labial branches coursed deep to the orbicularis oris muscle in all specimens, while the mental branch most commonly followed a superficial course relative to the mentalis muscle.Conclusion: The mental nerve demonstrates early extraosseous branching and consistent layer-based anatomical relationships after exiting the mental foramen. These findings provide important anatomical information relevant to vestibular incision planning and trocar placement in TOETVA.","PeriodicalId":49461,"journal":{"name":"Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-026-04000-y","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Medicine","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via the vestibular approach (TOETVA) provides excellent cosmetic outcomes but introduces specific anatomical challenges related to the mental nerve. Although the location of the mental foramen has been extensively studied, detailed information regarding the extraosseous course, branching pattern, and layer-based relationships of the mental nerve remains limited. This study aimed to characterize the extraosseous anatomy of the mental nerve in fresh-frozen Vietnamese cadavers and provide anatomical information relevant to vestibular incision planning and trocar placement in TOETVA.

Methods: A descriptive anatomical study was performed on 15 fresh-frozen Vietnamese adult cadavers, providing 30 mental nerves for analysis. The mental foramen and extraosseous mental nerve branches were dissected systematically. Morphometric parameters, branching patterns, and relationships between nerve branches and surrounding soft tissue layers were recorded.

Results: The mental foramen was most commonly located in line with the second premolar (50.0%). The mental nerve divided early after exiting the foramen, with a mean distance to the first branching point of 3.17 ± 2.55 mm. Branching patterns showed considerable variability, with all five Hu classification types observed and side-to-side asymmetry present in 46.7% of cadavers. After exiting the foramen, the mental nerve was consistently superficial to the periosteum. The angular and lateral inferior labial branches coursed deep to the orbicularis oris muscle in all specimens, while the mental branch most commonly followed a superficial course relative to the mentalis muscle.

Conclusion: The mental nerve demonstrates early extraosseous branching and consistent layer-based anatomical relationships after exiting the mental foramen. These findings provide important anatomical information relevant to vestibular incision planning and trocar placement in TOETVA.

查看原文本刊更多论文

新鲜冷冻越南尸体的骨外精神神经解剖：前庭入路经口内窥镜甲状腺切除术中前庭切口和套管针放置的解剖学考虑。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Medicine-Pathology and Forensic Medicine

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

14.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： Anatomy is a morphological science which cannot fail to interest the clinician. The practical application of anatomical research to clinical problems necessitates special adaptation and selectivity in choosing from numerous international works. Although there is a tendency to believe that meaningful advances in anatomy are unlikely, constant revision is necessary. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, the first international journal of Clinical anatomy has been created in this spirit. Its goal is to serve clinicians, regardless of speciality-physicians, surgeons, radiologists or other specialists-as an indispensable aid with which they can improve their knowledge of anatomy. Each issue includes: Original papers, review articles, articles on the anatomical bases of medical, surgical and radiological techniques, articles of normal radiologic anatomy, brief reviews of anatomical publications of clinical interest. Particular attention is given to high quality illustrations, which are indispensable for a better understanding of anatomical problems. Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy is a journal written by anatomists for clinicians with a special interest in anatomy.