Within the temporal bone, the facial nerve gives off motor and secretomotor branches in a fixed sequence. Which option correctly lists these intratemporal branches from PROXIMAL to DISTAL?

• A Nerve to stapedius, greater petrosal nerve, chorda tympani
• B Greater petrosal nerve, nerve to stapedius, chorda tympani ✓
• C Greater petrosal nerve, chorda tympani, nerve to stapedius
• D Chorda tympani, nerve to stapedius, greater petrosal nerve

Explanation

The greater petrosal nerve arises at the geniculate ganglion from the labyrinthine-tympanic junction, carrying secretomotor fibres to the lacrimal gland. The nerve to stapedius arises from the descending (mastoid) segment, and the chorda tympani arises from the mastoid segment roughly 6 mm above the stylomastoid foramen. Any sequence placing the chorda tympani before the nerve to stapedius is anatomically impossible because both leave the descending segment and the chorda is the more distal branch.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.