The Auriculopalpebral nerve block is performed at or above which anatomical landmark?

• A. Zygomatic arch
• B. Infraorbital foramen
• C. Lateral canthus
• D. Medial palpebral border

Answer: (A)

Blocking the auriculopalpebral nerve stops blinking by temporarily paralyzing the orbicularis oculi. The nerve travels across the face and lies close to the zygomatic arch as it advances toward the eyelids, so injecting at or just above the arch targets the nerve where it can affect eyelid closure. This makes it the most reliable landmark for an effective auriculopalpebral block.

The infraorbital foramen marks the path of a sensory nerve (infraorbital), not the motor branches to eyelid muscles, so blocking there won’t reliably prevent blinking. The lateral canthus sits at the eye’s outer corner but does not correspond to the nerve’s course. The medial palpebral border is along the inner eyelid margin and similarly does not align with the auriculopalpebral nerve as it traverses to the eyelids.