title: The feasibility of the retrofacial approach to the pediatric sinus tympani.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of the retrofacial approach to the pediatric sinus tympani (ST).
  
  
  METHODS
  Five pediatric cholesteatoma cases, 10 pediatric and 24 adult normal specimens were studied retrospectively using high-resolution CT measurements in our university hospital. The normal pediatric and adult specimens also underwent temporal bone dissections. CT measurements included the depth (d-ST) and the width (w-ST) of ST, the distance (F-PSC) from the facial canal to the posterior semicircular canal, and the distance (P-ST) from the depth of ST on a line perpendicular to the F-PSC line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in any measurements between pediatric and adult normal specimens and between pediatric diseased and normal specimens (P > 0.05). The retrofacial approach performed in pediatric specimens was no more complex than in adult specimens. F-PSC>3.0 mm and P-ST<2.0 mm provided an accessible approach to the pediatric ST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The retrofacial approach can be used in selected pediatric cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach plays its individual role to eradicate cholesteatoma in a difficult-to-reach pediatric ST.
  
  
  METHODS
  B-2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, People's Republic of China. binchendoc@126.com
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shankai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Pingjiang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D004210:Dissection; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*