by great auricular nerve. The fascia splits to enclose the gland. This splitting occurs between the angle of the mandible and the mastoid process. The superficial lamina (parotidomassetric fascia) is thick and is attached to zygomatic arch. The deep lamina is thin and is attached to styloid process, tympanic plate and the ramus of the mandible. The part of deep lamina extending between the styloid process and the mandible is thickened to form stylomastoid ligament. The stylomandibular ligament separates parotid gland from the superficial lobe of the submandibular gland. Location Superficial or lateral relations: The gland is situated deep to the skin, superficial fascia, superficial lamina of investing layer of deep cervical fascia and great auricular nerve (anterior ramus of C2 and C3). Anteromedial relations: The gland is situated posterolaterally to the mandibular ramus, masseter and medial pterygoid muscles. A part of the gland may extend between the ramus and medial pterygoid, as the pterygoid process. Branches of facial nerve and parotid duct emerge through this surface. Posteromedial relations: The gland is situated anterolaterally to mastoid process of temporal bone with its attached sternocleidomastoid and digastric muscles, styloid process of temporal bone with its three attached muscles (stylohyoid, stylopharyngeus, and styloglossus) and carotid sheath with its contained neurovasculature (internal carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th cranial nerves). Medial relations: The parotid gland comes into contact with the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle at the medial border, where the anteromedial and posteromedial surfaces meet. Hence, a need exists to examine the fauces in parotitis. Blood supply The external carotid artery and its terminal branches within the gland, namely, the superficial temporal and the maxillary artery, also the posterior auricular artery supply the parotid gland. Venous return is to the retromandibular veins. Lymphatic drainage The gland is mainly drained into the preauricular or parotid lymph nodes which ultimately drain to the deep cervical chain. Nerve supply The parotid gland receives both sensory and autonomic innervation. General sensory innervation to the parotid gland, its sheath, and the overlying skin is provided by the auriculotemporal nerve. The autonomic innervation controls the rate of saliva production and is supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve. The cell bodies of the preganglionic sympathetic fibres usually lie in the lateral horns of upper thoracic spinal segments (T1-T3). Postganglionic sympathetic fibers from superior cervical sympathetic ganglion reach the gland as periarterial nerve plexuses around the external