After mastering a mechanical bull at a local amusement park, Marvin decided he w

Question

After mastering a mechanical bull at a local amusement park, Marvin decided he was ready to compete in an amateur rodeo. But during the very first event, a live bull threw Marvin to the dirt and kicked him in the side of the face. Clinicians in the emergency room diagnosed a broken jaw and temporal bone. They also noted that Marvin’s tongue deviated to the right when they asked him to stick it out and was not able to turn his head to the left. Predict what may have been damaged by the bull’s kick.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Explanation / Answer

The kick to the side of Marvin's face injured his hyoid bone, which is a bone that is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage.

The hyoid is anchored by muscles from the anterior, posterior and inferior directions, and aids in tongue movement and swallowing. It also provides attachment to the tongue above, the larynx below, and the epiglottis and pharynx behind and muscles on the floor of the mouth.

This is why MArvin is unable to turn his head to the left and his tongue deviated to the right.

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