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Table 1 Derivatives of the branchial clefts and pouches. Arch 5 does not form structures in humans and is, therefore, not listed in Table 1

From: Branchial cleft anomalies: a pictorial review of embryological development and spectrum of imaging findings

 

Pharyngeal arch

Aortic arch artery

Cranial nerve

Muscular structures

Skeletal structures

Adult structures

External auditory meatus

I (Mandibular arch)

Maxillary artery

Trigeminal (V)

Mandibular prominence:

muscles of mastication, anterior belly of digastric, tensor tympani, tensor veli palatini, mylohyoid.

Maxilliary prominence: none.

Mandibular prominence:

mandible, incus, malleus, Meckel’s cartilages.

Maxilliary prominence: maxilla, zygomatic bone, squamos temporal bone, palatine bone, vomer.

Middle ear auditory tube, tympanic activity

II (Hyoid arch)

Stapedial artery, hyoid artery

Facial nerve (VII)

Muscles of facial expression, (buccinator, platysma, auricularis, frontalis, orbicularis oris, orbicularis oculi) stylohyoid, posterior belly of digastric, stapedius.

Lesser horn of the hyoid bone, superior half of hyoid body, stapes, styloid process.

Supratonsillar fossa, crypts of palatine tonsils

Cervical sinus of His

III

Common carotid, internal carotid artery

Glossopharyngeal (IX)

Stylopharyngeus

Greater horn of hyoid bone, inferior half of hyoid body.

Thymus, inferior parathyroid glands

IV

Right-Proximal subclavian artery

Left-Aortic arch

Vagus nerve (X), superior laryngeal nerve

Intrinsic muscles of soft palate, levator veli palatini, cricothyroid

Laryngeal cartilages:

thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilage, corniculate cartilage, cuneiform cartilage, epiglottic cartilage

Superior parathyroid glands, C-cells of thyroid

VI

Right – proximal pulmonary artery

Left – proximal pulmonary artery and ductus arteriosus

Vagus nerve, recurrent laryngeal nerve

Intrinsic muscles of the larynx, (not cricothyroid)

Laryngeal cartilages:

thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilage, corniculate cartilage, cuneiform cartilage.