Great Auricular Nerve, Lateral View

Description

Arising from the cervical plexus (C2 to C3), the great auricular nerve emerges at the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid and ascends superficially toward the parotid region in a lateral view of the male head and neck. As it courses superiorly, it crosses the sternocleidomastoid toward the angle of the mandible, then fans out over the parotid gland with anterior and posterior branches. The nerve lies posterior or superficial to the parotid fascia and external jugular vein depending on the segment, with the auricle positioned lateral to the mastoid process and the nerve distributing to the skin over the parotid and the inferior portion of the external ear. Clear surface anatomy. Great auricular nerve anatomy matters whenever you work near the parotid tail, mandibular angle, or upper neck skin flaps, because it is the main sensory supply to the lobule and adjacent auricular skin and is easily injured by a facelift incision, parotidectomy exposure, or even aggressive retraction along the sternocleidomastoid. Paresthesia or numbness of the earlobe after superficial parotid surgery is a familiar postoperative complaint, and this lateral perspective clarifies why preserving the nerve at its emergence point on the sternocleidomastoid can reduce that morbidity. The relationship to the facial nerve and parotid region also helps frame the distinction between sensory cervical plexus branches and motor facial nerve branches. Ideal for head and neck anatomy teaching in medical and dental curricula, this figure also suits otolaryngology and plastic surgery texts discussing rhytidectomy planes, parotid approaches, and postoperative sensory deficits. Use it in patient education materials to explain expected numbness distribution after parotidectomy or neck dissection and to document nerve-sparing technique in operative reports and presentations. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.