SALIVAEY GLANDS. 



1135 



in it. The apex, directed anteriorly, is formed by the facial process of the gland, 

 and lies on the masse ter muscle, and the duct of the gland issues from it, or just 

 below it. 



This superficial surface is frequently prolonged beyond the limits of the parotid 

 fossa, and passes downwards over the digastric muscle. It may descend beyond 

 the angle of the mandible, and come into immediate relation with the posterior part 

 of the submaxillary gland, from which it is separated merely by a thin layer of 

 the deep cervical fascia. 



Deep Portion of the Gland. This portion of the gland presents an anterior 

 surface looking forwards, deeply concave, and a posterior surface, irregular in 

 outline, directed backwards and medially. 



These surfaces meet medially at the medial border, which may lie so deeply as 

 be in contact with the side wall of the pharynx. The lower part of the styloid 



Mandible 

 Submaxillary duct 

 Mucous membrane 

 Sublingual gland 



Tongue' 

 Mylo-hyoid 

 Anterior belly of digastric 



* Lingual nerve 

 Mandible 



Mylo-hyoid 



Surface of submaxil- 

 -~ lary gland covered 



by mandible 

 Surface covered by 

 integument and fasciae 



FIG. 897. THE SALIVARY GLANDS AND THEIR DUCTS. 



process in many cases lies in contact with the inferior part of this border, and in such 

 cases the process, together with the styloglossus and stylopharyngeus muscles, 

 separates the medial border from the pharynx. The superior and interior borders, at 

 the union of the anterior and posterior surfaces, are irregular in outline, and indefinite. 



The relations of these two surfaces are as follows : 



The anterior surface is wrapped round the ramus of the mandible, and extends 

 on to the muscles which cover this portion of the bone laterally and medially, that 

 s, on to the masseter and internal pterygoid muscles respectively. 



The posterior surface, in contact with the posterior wall of the fossa, is moulded 

 upon the structures which form that wall. It is in contact, from the surface 

 medially, with the sterno - mastoid muscle, the mastoid process, the external 

 icoustic meatus, the posterior belly of the digastric muscle, the internal jugular 

 r ein, and the root of the styloid process and the styloid muscles. It is often 

 deeply grooved by the posterior belly of the digastric. 



The posterior surface is occasionally prolonged medially beyond the lower 



tion of the styloid process, towards the pharynx. In such cases, the lower part 



the styloid process lies in a groove on the posterior surface of the gland, and 

 is not in contact with its medial border as described above. 



The gland frequently gives off processes which pass into the intervals between 

 the structures bounding the fossa. Occasionally from its superior end a small 



