Morphometric Parameters of the Parotid Salivary Gland in Various Shape of the Skull

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate morphometric parameters of the parotid gland in various shapes of the facial and brain skull.Material and methods. The study included cadaveric biomaterial obtained from individuals of both sexes aged 48 to 73 years. There were investigated 120 human head organcomplexes containing 240 parotid glands. The samples were used to measure the upper height of the face and its width, the longitudinal and transverse diameters of the skull, and to calculate the values of the upper facial and transverse longitudinal indexes. Then the soft tissues were dissected in layers, and the parotid glands and adjacent neurovascular formations were isolated. Morphometric parameters of the parotid glands were processed statistically.Results. It was found that the vertical size of the parotid gland correlated with the upper facial index, and the sagittal size correlated with the transverse-longitudinal index. Statistically significant relationships between the upper facial, transverse-longitudinal indices and the shape of the parotid gland were not recorded.Conclusion. The study revealed an average positive correlation between the morphometric parameters of the parotid gland and the upper facial and transverse longitudinal indices. The results of the study complement the available data on the anatomy of the parotid gland and can be used in planning surgical interventions, as well as in interpreting the results of diagnostic radiation studies.