OBJECTIVETo determine the optimal position of hypoglossal nerve in hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis and the eligibility of hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis with the cervical loop.

METHODSThe cervical course and adjacent structures of the hypoglossal nerve were observed on 21 adult cadavers. The hypoglossal nerve and facial nerve were taken from 3 fresh specimens, and the number of the fasciculus and the cross-sectional area of the nerve were measured.

RESULTSThe facial nerve trunk were monofascicular with a cross-sectional area of 5.1-/+0.2 (range 4.6-5.7) mm(2). The number of the fasciculus and the cross-sectional areas of the nerve trunk and the fasciculus were 1.6-/+0.8 (range 1-4) mm(2) , 7.5-/+0.7 mm(2) (range 6.8-8.0) mm(2), and 4.7-/+0.6 (4.1-5.5) mm(2), respectively, at the proximal segment of the hypoglossal nerve, 3.6-/+0.5 (1-5) mm(2) , 5.6-/+0.5 (4.9-6.1) mm(2) , and 1.6-/+0.4 (0.9-2.2) mm(2) at the distal segment, and 2.4-/+0.8 (1-3) mm(2), 1.1-/+0.7 (0.6-2.2) mm(2), and 0.5-/+0.3 (0.3-1.2) mm(2) at the cervical loop.

CONCLUSIONThe cervical loop is inadequate for facial nerve anastomosis and the proximal segment is large enough to allow partial harvesting of the hypoglossal nerve for neurotisation of the facial nerve.