PMC5288323_01
Axial CT showing IAN exiting the mandible.
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This showed the nerve could be seen traversing laterally and superiorly in the buccal cortical bone within a corticated channel (Fig. 1, Fig. 2).
Exposure showing externalisation of IAN.
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IAN. It was exteriorised without any bony coverage and ran outside the buccal cortex of the mandible for 1.5 cm (Fig. 3) before re-entering the mandible.
IAN raised to show trough in cortical bone.
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At this stage, a further review of the CT images confirmed that the IAN exited the buccal cortex and ran freely within an open channel with normal bone present between the nerve and the cyst (Fig. 4).