Table 1.
Summary of described branching patterns of the facial artery and their frequency (literature review).
| Author | Type of Study | Number of Arteries | Types/Categories | Frequency | Annotations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayram et al. [4] | Anatomical study | n = 25 | 3 types based on termination | Type 1 (angular): 76% Type 2 (superior labial): 12% Type 3 (inferior labial): 12% |
Study performed on fetuses |
| Dupoirieux et al. [20] | Anatomical study | n = 20 | 5 classes based on pattern and termination | Type 1 (angular): 20% Type 2 (nasal dorsal): 45% Type 3 (coronal labial): 35% Type 4 (double): 0% Type 5 (weak): 0% |
|
| Furukawa et al. [14] | Head and neck CT with contrast agent | n = 187 | 4 types based on termination | Type 1 (superior labial): 34.2% Type 2 (nasolabial): 39.6% Type 3 (lateral nasal): 24% Type 4 (dominant angular): 2.1% |
|
| Koh et al. [21] | Anatomical study | n = 91 | 6 types based on the pattern of final arterial branches | Forehead type: 4.4% Angular type: 36.3% Nasal type: 44% Alar type: 3.3% Superior labial type: 6.6% Inferior labial type: 5.5% |
|
| Koziej et al. [13] | Head and neck CT with contrast agent | n = 255 | 5 categories based on termination and branching | Type I (proximal to superior labial): 24.7% Type II (distal to superior labial): 31.4% Type III (textbook course): 40% Type IV (dominant lateral angular): 1.6% Type V (hypoplastic vessel): 2.4% |
|
| Lasjaunias et al. [22] | Angiographic findings | Qualitative description of the vascularization of the face and branches of the facial artery and their hemodynamic important anastomoses | Functional arterial monopedicles formed by the following (partly) anastomosing branches: Ascending palatine artery Submaxillary artery Submental artery Inferior masseteric artery Jugal trunk (buccal artery and posterior jugal artery) Middle mental artery Inferior labial artery Superior labial artery Anterior jugal artery Nasal arcade Angular orbital artery |
||
| Lee et al. [23] | Anatomical study | n = 54 | 3 categories based on the branching | Type I (nasolabial type): 51.8% Type II (infraorbital trunk): 29.6% Type III (forehead pattern): 18.6% |
|
| Lohn et al. [12] | Anatomical study | n = 201 | 6 categories based on the terminal branch | Type I (angular): 20% Type II (lateral nasal): 48% Type III (inferior alar): 17% Type IV (superior labial): 10% Type V (inferior labial): 3% Type VI (undetected): 2% |
|
| Loukas et al. [8] | Anatomical study | n = 200 | 6 types based on the branching and termination with subtypes | Type A (typical arrangement): 47.5% Type B (nasal): 38.7% Type C (superior labial–alar): 8.4% Type D (duplex or long course): 3.8% Type E (rudimentary): 1.4% |
Duplex, being an angular artery branching off at the level of the mouth |
| Mağden et al. [24] | Anatomical study | n = 27 | Neurovascular and anatomical features and relations of the premasseteric branch and its branches (origin location, diameter, length, course) | Separate origin of the premasseteric branch from the facial artery in all cases Location determined according to the body of the mandible Diameter 1.12 mm (at level of origin), in 3% of cases larger than the facial artery Observation of the course up to the upper anterior border of the masseter Description of branches and anastomoses |
|
| Marx et al. [25] | Case report | Anomalous artery pattern in both sides Termination as inferior labial on the right, missing inferior labial on the left |
|||
| Midy et al. [16] | Anatomical study | n = 40 | 4 types based on the termination | Type 1 (angular): 27.5% Type 2 (labial): 40% Type 3 (nasal): 30% Type 4 (abortive): very uncommon, found only once |
|
| Mitz et al. [26] | Anatomical study | n = 50 | 5 types based on course, pattern, and termination | Type 1 (nasal): 78% Type 2 (classic): 4% Type 3 (intermediate): 10% Type 4 (duplicate): 4% Type 5 (weak): 8% |
|
| Niemann et al. [17] | Anatomical study | n = 39 | 6 types based on the origin of the branches | Type 1, each of the branches arose separately from the facial artery, as in the standard anatomic definition: 64.10% Type 2, the superior labial branch gave off an inferior alar branch: 17.95% Type 3, the superior and inferior labial branches originated from a common trunk and the facial artery had early termination: 2.56% Type 4, the superior and inferior alar branches came from a common trunk and no superior labial and inferior labial branches were present: 2.56% Type 5, the facial artery was rudimentary, which is when the artery terminated after giving off an inferior labial artery, but before reaching the upper lip: 2.56% Type 6, the facial artery was abortive, which is when the facial artery gives off no facial branches: 2.56% |
|
| Padur and Kumar [15] | Case report | Bifurcation of the facial artery with posterior branch terminating in the buccal region | |||
| Pilsl et al. [11] | Anatomical study | n = 60 | 4 types based on course, pattern, and termination | Type 1 (textbook course): 41.7% Type 2 (no angular): 26.7% Type 3 (superior labial): 18.3% Type 4 (two branches): 13.3% |
In type 4, the branching was observed at the level of the mouth after release of the inferior labial artery |
| Pinar et al. [27] | Anatomical study | n = 50 | 5 classes based on termination | Type 1 (angular): 22% Type 2 (nasal): 60% Type 3 (alar): 12% Type 4 (superior labial): 4% Type 5 (hypoplastic): 2% |
|
| Vasudha et al. [28] | Anatomical study | n = 50 | Classification based on description of Koh et al., Bayram et al. and Loukas et al. | Type 1 (angular): 56% Type 2 (superior labial): 30% Type 3 (inferior labial): 0% Type A (typical arrangement): 0% Type B (nasal): 12% Type C (superior labial—alar): 30% Type D (duplex or long course): 56% Type E (rudimentary): 2% Type I (angular): 56% Type II (lateral nasal): 12% Type III (inferior alar): 0% Type IV (superior labial): 30% Type V (inferior labial): 0% Type VI (undetected): 2% |