Quick Facts
Origin: Frontal nerve.
Course: Runs from the middle of the orbit along the superior surface of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle, heading medially towards the trochlea. Exits at the supratrochlear notch along the superomedial orbital margin.
Branches: None.
Supply: Conveys general sensation from the forehead, glabella, frontal sinus, and skin and conjunctiva of the upper eyelid.
Origin
The supratrochlear nerve is a branch of the frontal nerve. It originates midway across the orbit, deep to the periosteum and superficial to the levator palpebrae superioris muscle, when the frontal nerve terminally branches into a medial supratrochlear and a lateral supraorbital nerve.
Course
The supratrochlear nerve runs anteriorly and medially along the superior surface of levator palpebrae superioris. As it continues anteriorly, its course takes it more and more medially towards the trochlea for the superior oblique muscle. Here it exits the orbit passing under a small indentation within the frontal bone of the superomedial border of the orbit, the supratrochlear notch. From here it fans out to neighboring cutaneous territories and underlying structures. The superior branches pierce the frontalis and corrugator supercilii muscles to gain access to the frontal sinus.
Branches
The supratrochlear nerve is generally considered a terminal nerve. It does, however, give off a communicating branch within the orbit to the infratrochlear nerve.
Supplied Structures
The supratrochlear nerve is a sensory nerve that conveys general sensation from the skin of the forehead, glabella, upper medial eyelid and underlying conjunctiva, and the mucosa of the frontal sinus.
