Quick Facts
Location: Along the facial vein in the subcutaneous fat.
Drainage: Lateral eyelid, nose, and cheek.
Direction of Flow: Submandibular nodes > jugulodigastric nodes > internal jugular nodes > supraclavicular nodes > jugular trunk > thoracic duct (left) or right thoracic duct.
Description
The facial nodes are an inconsistent group of lymph nodes located in the subcutaneous tissue along the facial vein, deep to the muscles of facial expression. A number of them are intercalated with the lymphatic vessels of the nose and eyelid.
Nasolabial and zygomatic nodes are the most commonly found nodes, with buccinator nodes found in 20–30% of the population and mandibular nodes present only in 10% (Földi et al., 2012).
Their drainage territory encompasses the superficial tissue of the face, specifically the lateral areas of the eye, the nose, and the cheek. This drainage territory is shared with a number of other nodes and is not well defined due to their inconsistency of appearance.
References
Földi, M., Földi, E., Strößenreuther, R. and Kubik, S. (2012) Földi's Textbook of Lymphology: for Physicians and Lymphedema Therapists. Elsevier Health Sciences.
