Editing Parotid (section)

== '''Relations''' ==

* Below external acoustic     meatus, between mandible and SCM
* Also projects forward onto     surface of masseter
* Posteriorly lies over SCM -     greater auricular nerve and EJV seen here
* Traversed by (from deep to     superficial):
** Auriculotemporal nerve -      branch of mandibular division of trigeminal nerve, communicating with      facial nerve within parotid. Damage is thought to relate to Frey's      syndrome - sweating of pre-auricular skin when sweating.
** External carotid artery -      enters posteromedial surface and divides into maxillary artery and STA,      and sometimes transverse facial artery, which tends to run parallel with      but above the parotid duct
** Retromandibular vein -      superficial to ECA. Sometimes forms within the gland from superficial      temporal and maxillary veins.
** Facial nerve - stays      superior to blood vessels - see separate topic - very variable anatomy
* May be covered by platysma     antero-inferiorly