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parotid gland

The largest of the salivary glands, located inferior & anterior to the ear on either side. Distribution: It extends from: a) inferiorly: the angle of the jaw b) superiorly: zygomatic arch c) posteriorly: sternocleidomastoid d) medially: into the infratemporal fossa, deep to the ramus of the mandible Structure: - the parotid gland is enclosed within a capsule - it is subdivided into the pars superficialis & pars profunda by branches of the facial nerve (CN VII). - Function: - the parotid gland drains into the parotid duct, secretes saliva into the oral cavity after parasympathetic stimulation Innervation: - postganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the otic ganglion innervate the parotid gland.

Related

otic ganglion parotid duct (Stensen canal) parotitis

General

salivary gland

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
  2. Wilson M, Pandey S StatPearls. NCBI Bookshelf. Aug 28, 2022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560735/

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