Platysma-Auricular Ligament, Lateral View

Description

Running superficially across the anterolateral neck, the platysma forms a thin muscular sheet over the cervical fascia as it ascends toward the inferior border of the mandible and the lower face. Posteriorly, fine connective fibers of the platysma-auricular ligament can be appreciated extending toward the auricular region near the external ear, positioned lateral to the mandibular ramus and anterior to the mastoid part of the temporal bone. Bony landmarks in profile include the frontal, parietal, and occipital bones with their sutures, the maxilla and teeth, and the mandible, with the cervical vertebrae stacked inferiorly behind the airway and pharyngeal space. Color coding separates bone from the superficial muscular plane. Clear orientation. For facial plastic and otologic surgeons, this lateral angle clarifies how the platysma’s posterior attachments relate to the auricle and adjacent soft tissue planes that are mobilized in rhytidectomy and neck lift dissection. Understanding this tethering helps explain why platysmal banding and skin laxity do not always correct uniformly with midline platysmaplasty alone, and why traction near the ear can transmit tension along the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and posterior platysmal edge. The auricular neighborhood is crowded, and small fibrous connections matter. Medical educators can integrate this plate into head and neck anatomy teaching on superficial fascia, muscles of facial expression, and surface anatomy of the lateral neck, pairing it with demonstrations of platysma action as a depressor of the lower lip and mandible. It also suits surgical atlases and preoperative counseling materials discussing facelift vectors, postauricular incision planning, and the relationship of the auricle to superficial neck musculature in an adult male. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.