Efferent and afferent innervations of Muellerʹs muscle related to involuntary contraction of the levator muscle: important for avoiding injury during eyelid surgery

Because stretching of Muellerʹs muscle induces involuntary contraction of the levator muscle, we hypothesised that Muellerʹs muscle functions as a serial kind of muscle spindle of the levator muscle. To confirm the presence and location of efferent and afferent innervations of Muellerʹs muscle, cadaversʹ eyelids were microscopically and macroscopically examined, and the resultant findings were physiologically confirmed in patientsʹ eyelids during surgery. Fine neural myelinated structures acting as a mechanoreceptor were found in the proximal Muellerʹs muscle. Muellerʹs muscle is doubly innervated by the unmyelinated sympathetic efferent nerve and the myelinated trigeminal proprioceptive afferent nerve, both of which run transversely on the proximal Muellerʹs muscle to join the lacrimal nerve. Electrical stimulation of the transverse nerve fibres induced involuntary contraction of both the levator muscle as the Hoffmann reflex and Muellerʹs muscle. Surgical injury to these nerve fibres should be avoided to preserve involuntary contraction of the levator muscle.