Facial canal anatomy in patients with microtia: evaluation of the temporal bones with thin-section CT.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the location of the facial nerve in patients with microtia by using thin-section computed tomography (CT).


METHODS
Thin-section CT was performed in 66 ears of patients with microtia (unilateral, n = 12; bilateral, n = 34) and mandibulofacial dysostosis (MFD, n = 20). Findings were compared with those in 22 ears with normal auricles (control group) by using the Dunnett two-sided t test.


RESULTS
The facial nerve at the mastoid portion in patients with MFD was 2 mm more lateral and 3 mm more anterior than that in control subjects (P <.01). The same portion in patients with microtia was 3 mm more anterior than that in the control subjects (P <.01). The distance between the facial nerve and the most lateral point of the temporal bone in patients with MFD was 10 mm shorter and that in patients with bilateral microtia was 3 mm shorter than that in the control subjects (P <.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The facial nerve in patients with microtia was not more lateral from the Bill bar (vertical crest) than that in control subjects. The facial nerve in patients with MFD was different from that in patients with microtia who had no other head anomalies.
Takegoshi
Hideki
H
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
Kaga
Kimitaka
K
Kikuchi
Shigeru
S
Ito
Ken
K
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008342:Mandibulofacial Dysostosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed