title: [Anatomic investigation of facial canal related to middle ear surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To avoid hurting facial nerve in middle ear surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 adult head cadavers with 40 sides tempotal bone were dissected and investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1. Prevalence of dehiscent facial nerve canal was 32.5% (13/40), while 2.5% (1/40), 27.5% (11/40), 7.5%(3/40) incidence facial nerve canal were found in the labyrinthine, horizontal, vertical segment respectively. 2. Distance between the vertical portion of facial nerve and posterior semicircular canal was 0.62-5.08(2.48 +/- 0.63) mm. Interspace between the vertical portion of facial nerve and tympanic chorda was 0-4.62 (2.12 +/- 0.76) mm at the level of tympanic ditch, while interspace between the vertical portion of facial nerve and tympanic ditch was 2.96-8.82 (5.86 +/- 1.62) mm. 3. Distance between horizontal portion of facial nerve and lateral semicircular canal was 0-3.02 (1.92 +/- 0.84) mm. Interspace between horizontal portion of facial nerve and stapedial board was 0.92-4.06(2.14 +/- 0.90) mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Familiarity with facial nerve procession should be favorable to decrease facial paralysis with middle ear surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei 230001.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000718:Anatomy, Regional; D001344:Autopsy; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000601:surgery*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology*