Cadaveric dissection reveals dual roots of the inferior alveolar nerve and vagal connections, suggesting vital implications for anaesthesiology and surgery.
During routine cadaveric dissection for undergraduate medical teaching, we observed dual roots of origin of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) on the right infratemporal fossa in an elderly male cadaver. The IAN originated by two roots encircling the second part of the maxillary artery (MA). The superior root of the ansa cervicalis (AC) originated from the ipsilateral vagus nerve and two independent muscular branches of the right vagus provided additional innervations to the anterior neck muscles. Awareness about the dual roots of origin of IAN is imperative for anaesthesiologists and dentists, while administering local anaesthesia. A prior knowledge about the vagal origin of AC is essential to prevent iatrogenic damage during surgeries.
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Borthakur et al. (2025) studied this question.
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