Surgical anatomy of facial nerve for revision transmastoid surgery.

ABSTRACT

We analyze the relationships of the 3 segments of the facial nerve with respect to constant anatomic structures that can be identified during revision surgery via translabyrinthine approach. This study was conducted on 15 formalin-fixed cadavers whose facial nerves were dissected bilaterally under operative microscope via translabyrinthine approach. The distances between the round window niche and the midpoint of the tympanic segment and the beginning of the mastoid segment were 6.64 ± 1.79 mm and 3.99 ± 0.79 mm, respectively. The distances between the tympanic ostium of the eustachian tube and the first and the second genu were 7.02 ± 0.62 mm and 12.25 ± 1.24 mm, respectively. We used the superior semicircular canal, the tympanic ostium of the eustachian tube, and the round window niche as landmarks to identify the facial nerve during revision surgery. Our study also showed that the auricular branch may also be originated from the posterior surface of the facial nerve.