EXPLORING A DISSECTION-BASED GROSS ANATOMY OF CRANIAL NERVE ROOTS IN WATER BUFFALO (Bubalus bubalis)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/abr.2026.28.01.23Keywords:
Buffalo, cranial nerve roots, dissection, gross anatomy, manual approachAbstract
Understanding the cranial nerve anatomy is essential for accurate neurological examination, and provides a framework for performing nerve blocks during surgical procedures. However, there is scarcity of information on the gross anatomy of cranial nerves in water buffalo, and this study was aimed to comprehensively explore the gross anatomy of cranial nerve roots in water buffalo brain. Forty adult buffalo heads were procured from local slaughter houses and their cranial nerve roots exposed using the ventral and lateral approaches. The findings revealed that the gross anatomy of buffalo cranial nerve roots closely resemble that of other ruminants. The intracranial course of cranial nerves innervating the orbital region was influenced by the location of their origin within the brain and their entry points into the cranial dura mater. Unlike vestibulocochlear and facial nerve, which appeared as solid cylindrical structures, the vagus group and hypoglossal nerves comprised of multiple rootlets. The hypoglossal nerve, in addition to its predominant root, presented a small root emerging out through an accessory foramen. Consistent with other ruminants, the vagus group originated from dorsolateral aspect of medulla and traversed through jugular foramen, cranial to the hypoglossal foramen. Based on this study the first five cranial nerves emerging from the brain stem are best visualised using ventrolateral approach, while the remaining cranial nerves are more effectively observed through ventral approach.
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