Human parotid gland

The parotid glands are grayish pink in color and irregular in shape. The mass of the parotid gland is approximately 20-30 g: these are the largest salivary glands.

The parotid glands are located in the parotid chewing region of the face, directly under the skin, in front and to the bottom of the auricle , on the lateral surface of the lower jaw , at the posterior edge of the chewing muscle . From above, the parotid gland approaches the zygomatic arch, from below - to the corner of the lower jaw, from the back - to the front edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the mastoid processes of the temporal bone . The parotid gland behind the lower jaw reaches the stylo- pharyngeal , stylohyoid and stylohyal muscles starting from the styloid process.

The parotid gland is surrounded by a capsule - parotid chewing fascia ( lat. Fascia parotideomasseterica ). The density of this fascia is uneven: for the most part it is dense, it has loosened areas covering the upper and medial surfaces of the gland. The capsule extends into the gland and divides it into lobules. Thus, the parotid gland has a lobed structure.

Its excretory (Stenonov or Stensonovsky) duct leaves the front edge of the gland, passes along the outer surface of the masticatory muscle , bends around it in front, pierces the buccal muscle and opens on the side wall of the vestibule of the oral cavity at the level of the second upper molar .

Sometimes above the excretory duct of the parotid gland there is an additional parotid gland, the excretory duct of which merges with the main one.

Innervation: sensitive - parotid branches of the ear-temporal nerve, secretory parasympathetic - ear-temporal nerve (from the ear node) On the inner surface of the mandibular nerve at the oval hole there is a vegetative ear node (ganglion oticum), to which parasympathetic fibers in the small stony nerve are suitable (from the glossopharyngeal nerve), are sent as part of the ear-temporal nerve to the parotid salivary gland., Secretory sympathetic - external carotid plexus.

Blood supply: parotid branches of the temporal artery.

Venous outflow: mandibular vein.V. Retromandibulari

Lymphatic drainage : superficial and deep parotid ganglia.

The main function of the gland is the secretion of saliva . The parotid glands secrete liquid saliva with a high concentration of NaCl and KCl and high amylase activity. Its acidity is higher than the saliva of other large salivary glands and, at a low secretion rate, is 5.81 pH . With an increase in the rate of secretion, its acidity decreases (pH increases). Parotid glands secrete approximately 0.2 - 0.7 L of saliva per day (about a third of the volume secreted by all salivary glands). ^[one]

The parotid gland has 2 weak points: posterior (near the ear canal) and inside (in the deep part). In these places, pus can come out with purulent processes ( mumps , mumps ).

• Excretory duct of the parotid salivary gland
• Mumps
• Parotitis
• Salivary glands
• Herzenberg's mumps

• Trifonov E.V. Human psychophysiology. Salivary glands. Destination. Structure.