title: [Histopathology observations of the facial nerve on dehiscence of the facial nerve canal].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the possible histopathologic changes induced by the seriously defective epinurium on congenital dehiscent facial nerve canal.
  
  
  METHODS
  The facial nerves at the dehiscent facial nerve canal of 885 human temporal bones from otopathology laboratory of the University of Minnesota, USA were observed histopathologically under light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It showed that the seriously defective epineurium at the dehiscence was found in 48 ears. Of the 48 ears, the facial nerves in forty ears had herniated out from the dehiscence area, in thirteen ears on the outgrowing facial nerve had at the dehiscence areas and facial nerves in three ears with otitis media was obviously infiltrated with inflammatory cells. No similar pathologic change was found in all the 837 ears with the dehiscence covered by epineurium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The seriously defective epineurium at the dehiscencesite is a histological cause for the herniation of facial nerve and formation of outgrowing Schwannomas and inflammatory infiltration of facial nerve.
authors.affiliation: Second Clinic Medical College, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710004.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000473:pathology; D009441:Neurilemma / Q000473:pathology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000473:pathology*