The fine branches of the human trigeminal nerve.

The fine branches of the trigeminal ganglion were studied by macromicropreparation and total clearing in glycerol of specimens collected during autopsies of 78 people aged 23-69 years impregnated with silver nitrate by the Christensen method or stained with the Schiff reagent as described by Shubich and Khodos; serial histotopograms prepared in the sagittal plane from specimens from 15 autopsies of humans of the same age range and also impregnated by the Christensen method were also studied. Four histotopograms were used for reconstruction of the fine nerves. The results showed that numerous branches of diameter 50-150 microm ran directly from the trigeminal nerve, more from the outer and less from the deeper surface, innervating the walls of the trigeminal cavity. No connecting branches of the trigeminal ganglion to the internal carotid plexus, greater petrous nerve, or any other nerve were seen.