Surgical anatomic study on facial nerve of young children in the association with middle ear operation

Objective To explore the surgical anatomic features of facial nerve correlated with middle ear operation,or electronic cochlea implanting,via the approach of facial recess in young children to collect reference numerical data for these operations.Methods Anatomical study was carried out among 14 young children cadaveric cranial bones(28 sides of temporal bone specimens),with the interesting focused on the measurements of anatomic features and collecting numerical data of facial nerve in the region of posterior tympanium for surgeries via the approach of facial recess.Results The minimal size of facial recess was 1.82mm,though with some individual variation among these specimens.The distances from pyramid and vertical segments of facial nerve to chorda tympani nerve were(3.79±0.45)mm and(2.23±0.57)mm,and they were(2.79±0.60)mm,(2.17±0.42)mm and(3.90±0.59)mm from the pyramidal eminence to pyramid,level and vertical segments of facial nerve respectively,while it was(4.83±0.70)mm from the vertical segment of facial nerve to the medium point of anterior border of round window niche.Conclusions These numerical data should be very useful as reference data to facial nerve for operations on middle ear in young children,in order to avoid this nerve and/or some other important structures from damaging during the period of surgery.