AIPGMEE 2016 Surgery MCQ

You examine a 35-year-old female patient who presents with a right parotid
swelling. Which of the following structures does not lie within the parotid gland?
A. Mandibular nerve
B. External carotid artery
C. Facial nerve
D. Marginal mandibular nerve
E. Retromandibular vein
answer - A Mandibular nerve
From superficial to deep, the following structures all lie within the
parotid gland:
• Facial nerve
• Retromandibular vein
• External carotid artery
The marginal mandibular nerve is a branch of the facial nerve. The
facial nerve enters the parotid gland as it emerges from the stylomastoid
foramen, giving rise to five branches (temporal branch, zygomatic
branch, buccal branch, marginal mandibular nerve and cervical branch)
within the parotid gland.
Answer A is correct as the mandibular nerve (V3) is the third main
branch of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve 5) and does not lie within
the parotid gland. The other two main branches of the trigeminal nerve
are the ophthalmic (V1) and the maxillary (V2) nerves