Great Auricular Nerve, Lateral View

Description

Running along the left lateral neck, the great auricular nerve ascends from the cervical plexus (C2 to C3) at the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid and crosses that muscle superficially toward the parotid region and external ear. Superiorly it fans toward the lobule, concha, and the skin over the parotid gland, lying anterior to the mastoid process and inferior to the temporomandibular region. Surrounding landmarks include the auricle and external acoustic meatus laterally, the mandibular ramus and zygomatic arch anteriorly, and the temporal bone and mastoid portion posteriorly. Facial expression muscles and the masseter and temporalis provide clear orientation to the lateral face. For regional anesthesia and surgery, this course matters. The great auricular nerve is the main sensory nerve to the inferior pinna and parotid fascia, and it is exposed where it emerges over the sternocleidomastoid, the classic site for a superficial cervical plexus block. It is also at risk during parotidectomy, facelift (rhytidectomy), and incision placement around the angle of the mandible, where traction or transection can leave persistent numbness or dysesthesia of the earlobe. A common teaching point is its relationship to the external jugular vein as both traverse the superficial fascia over the sternocleidomastoid. Use this lateral male head and neck plate to annotate cervical plexus branches in gross anatomy and regional anesthesia teaching, or to illustrate operative risk zones in otolaryngology and plastic surgery texts. It also pairs well with ultrasound-guided block content when you need a clean surface anatomy correlation for the SCM midpoint. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.