Anatomy division of the cerebellopontine angle under endoscope and its clinical significance

Objective:To observe the anatomy division of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) under neuroendoscope in order to provide anatomic information for clinical treatments of localized lesions.Methods:Fifteen heads of adult cadavers soaked in formalin and one fresh adult cadaver head were used to observe CPA structures under microscope and endoscope which was inserted by retrosigmoid approach.Results:It was shown that CPA was divided into three compartments,SpaceⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,by the Ⅶ-Ⅷ bundle and the Ⅸ cranial nerve,of which the spaceⅠwas subdivided into two compartments,namelyⅠa andⅠb subspaces.The Ⅲ-Ⅻ cranial nerves and their adjacent vascular structures can be visualized under neuroendoscope through the three compartments.Conclusion:Under neuroendoscope,the three anatomical compartments can be visualized and differentiated,which can be great help for operators in microsurgery.