A Comprehensive Guide to the Chorda Tympani Nerve: Course and Connections

Chorda Tympani Nerve

Chorda Tympani Nerve 

• Chorda tympani nerve arises in the vertical part of the facial canal about 6 mm above the stylomastoid foramen
• Runs upwards & forwards in a bony canal & enters the middle ear
• Runs forwards in close relation to the tympanic membrane
• Leaves the middle ear by passing through the Petrotympanic fissure
• Passes medial to the spine of the sphenoid & enters the
  infratemporal fossa
• Here it joins lingual nerve

Chorda Tympani Nerve  Distribution:

• Carries
  1. Preganglionic Secretomotor fibres to the submandibular ganglion
     • This supplies Submandibular & Sublingual glands
  2. Taste fibres
     • From the anterior two-third of the tongue

Question 2. Otic Ganglion.
Answer:

• It is small, oval parasympathetic ganglion
• It is present in infratemporal fossa

Otic Ganglion Relations:

• Above- foramen ovale
• Medial- Trunk of mandibular nerve
• Lateral-Tensor veli palatini
• Front- Middle meningeal artery
• Behind- Medial pterygoid muscle

Otic Ganglion Roots:

Otic Ganglion Branches:

• Secretomotor to parotid gland via Auriculotemporal nerve
• Vasomotor to parotid gland via Auriculotemporal nerve
• Motor to tensor veli palatini & tensor tympani
• Alternate route of taste pathway to anterior 2/3rd of tongue