Vagus nerve injury

The vagus nerve is the longest and most widely distributed cerebral nerve. It exits the skull together with the glossopharyngeal nerve and the accessory nerves through the jugular foramen, and descends between the carotid artery and the internal jugular vein inside the carotid sheath. The vagus nerve is a mixed nerve. The nucleus of the vagus nerve, the nucleus of the solitary bundle, and the nucleus of the trigeminal spine coexist with the glossopharyngeal nerve. Therefore, simple vagus nerve injury is rare and often occurs simultaneously with the glossopharyngeal nerve.