Lymphatic drainage of the external ear

✍ Scribed by Wei-Ren Pan; Cara Michelle le Roux; Sidney M. Levy; Christopher A. Briggs

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 694 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.21395

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background

Lymphoscintigraphy reveals inconsistencies in our knowledge of the lymphatic anatomy of the external ear.

Methods

Fifteen external ears from 9 unembalmed human cadavers were studied. Six percent hydrogen peroxide was used to find the lymphatic vessels using a surgical microscope. They were injected with a radio‐opaque mixture, dissected, photographed, and radiographed to demonstrate lymphatic vessels in the tissue. Final results were transferred to the computer for analysis.

Results

Four groups of lymph collecting vessels were found. The anterior branch, in all specimens, drained directly or indirectly (having merged with a vessel descending from the scalp) into the preauricular lymph nodes. The superior, middle, and inferior (lobule) branches drained to their multiple first tier lymph nodes.

Conclusion

An accurate lymphatic map of the external ear is described to upgrade our anatomic knowledge. It will be of benefit for the clinical management of malignancies in this region. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011