Observation on the relationship of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and vestibulocochlear nerve

Objective To observe the anatomic relation of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and the vestibulocochlear nerve. Methods The anterior inferior cerebellar artery and branches related with the vestibulocochlear nerve in the cerebellopontine angle were examined with the operating microscopy in 20 adult head cadavers fixed with formalin. Results The incidence of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, recurrent perforating artery and anterior inferior cerebellar artery loop was 100percent.The 80 percent recurrent perforating arteries passed between the facial nerve and the vestibulocochlear nerve. The 95 percent vestibulocochlear nerves had contact with the anterior inferior cerebellar artery or its branches. Among them, The 50 percent had two or more branches contacted with the vestibulocochlear nerves.Conclusion The result will supply useful anatomic data for the surgery in the cerebellopontine angle.