the lingual vein passes medial to the hyoglossus, and the lingual artery passes deep to the hyoglossus. laterally, in between the hyoglossus muscle and the mylohyoid muscle lay several important structures (from upper to lower): sublingual gland, submandibular duct, lingual nerve, vena comitans of hypoglossal nerve, and the hypoglossal nerve. note, posteriorly, the lingual nerve is superior to the submandibular duct and a portion of the submandibular salivary gland protrudes into the space between the hyoglossus and mylohyoid muscles.