Great auricular nerve
The great auricular nerve is a cutaneous nerve of the head. It originates from the cervical plexus, with branches of spinal nerves C2 and C3. It provides sensory nerve supply to the skin over the parotid gland and the mastoid process of the temporal bone, and surfaces of the outer ear. Pain resulting from parotitis is caused by an impingement on the great auricular nerve.
| Great auricular nerve | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Plan of the cervical plexus. (Great auricular labeled at top center.) | |
| Details | |
| From | cervical plexus (C2-C3) |
| Innervates | sensation of inferior part of auricle and parotid region of the face. |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nervus auricularis magnus |
| TA98 | A14.2.02.018 |
| TA2 | 6385 |
| FMA | 6872 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
Structure
The great auricular nerve is the largest of the ascending branches of the cervical plexus. It arises from the second and third cervical nerves. It winds around the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and, after perforating the deep fascia, ascends upon that muscle beneath the platysma muscle to the parotid gland. Here, it divides into an anterior and a posterior branch.
Branches
- The anterior branch (ramus anterior; facial branch) is distributed to the skin of the face over the parotid gland. It communicates with the facial nerve inside the parotid gland.
- The posterior branch (ramus posterior; mastoid branch) supplies the skin over the mastoid process and on the back of the auricle, except at its upper part; a filament pierces the auricula to reach its lateral surface, where it is distributed to the lobule and lower part of the concha. The posterior branch communicates with the smaller occipital, the auricular branch of the vagus, and the posterior auricular branch of the facial.
Function
The anterior branch of the great auricular nerve supplies the face over the parotid gland. The posterior branch of the great auricular nerve supplies the face over the mastoid process of the temporal bone, It also supplies parts of the auricle.[1]
Clinical significance
The great auricular nerve may be damaged during surgery on the parotid gland, reducing sensation to the face.[2] Pain resulting from parotitis is caused by an impingement on the great auricular nerve.
Additional images
Dermatome distribution of the trigeminal nerve, also showing the sensory distribution of the great auricular, lesser occipital, and greater occipital nerves.
Side of neck, showing chief surface markings.
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 926 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- Peuker, Elmar T.; Filler, Timm J. (2002). "The nerve supply of the human auricle". Clinical Anatomy. 15 (1): 35–37. doi:10.1002/ca.1089. ISSN 1098-2353.
- Brown, J. S.; Ord, R. A. (1 December 1989). "Preserving the great auricular nerve in parotid surgery". British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 27 (6): 459–466. doi:10.1016/S0266-4356(89)80003-8. ISSN 0266-4356.
External links
- Diagram at aapmr.org
- Anatomy figure: 25:03-03 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "Diagram of the cervical plexus."
