A 32-year-old female patient asks you what is the soft, thin ridge of tissue that she can feel running forward across the masseter muscle toward her upper lip. You reassure her that is perfectly normal. Which of the following is the most likely structure she is feeling?
The parotid duct, also known as the Stensen's duct, crosses the masseter muscle transversely and extends to the oral cavity. The facial artery can be palpated in the groove anterior to the mandibular angle. The facial vein lies anterior to the artery, passing toward the angle of the lips, but does not ascend in close proximity to the masseter. All of the other vessels are located more deeply and cannot be palpated.
Facial artery
Maxillary artery
Parotid duct
Marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve
Head & Neck