A study on facial artery and its submental and perioral branches

The main arterial supply of the facial skin envelope is the facial artery which serves as a main pedicle for a number of facial flaps. The knowledge of anatomy of facial artery is essential in raising viable facial flaps and devising new flaps.Therapeutic radiological interventions like embolization of tumour feeding vessel in case of tumours of face need a thorough knowledge of the vascular pattern of face. The anatomy of the facial artery was studied in 50 adult head and neck specimens at the Institute of Anatomy, Madras Medical College. Facial artery in 15 adult carotid angiograms from the Barnard Institute of Radiology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital were also studied. Facial artery arose separately from the external carotid artery in 82 % of specimens and 93.33 % of angiograms. Common linguo facial trunk was present in 18 % of specimens and 6.66 % of angiogram. The branching pattern of facial artery in face was classified based on the study done by Loukas et al. 70 % of specimens belonged to type A pattern, 24 % of specimens belonged to type B pattern and 6 % of specimens belonged to type C pattern. In 28 % of specimens, premasseteric branch was present. In 12 % of specimens, buccal branch was present. The average length of submental artery was 7.44 cm. The mean distance of origin of submental artery from the origin of facial artery was 3.36 cm and from the angle of mandible was 2.88cm. Infra labial artery was present in 58% of cadaveric specimens and 53.33 % of angiograms. The average length of Inferior labial artery was 2.48 cm and superior labial artery was 6.04 cm. Inferior labial arteryarose from facial artery below the level of oral commissure in 72 %.Superior labial artery arose from facial artery above the level of oral commissure in 94 %. The knowledge of facial artery anatomy is essential for better planning of reconstructive procedures, raising viable flaps and devising new flaps. It also helps the radiologists in better interpretation of radiological images andsurgeons for avoiding complications during surgeries