[Clinical anatomical study of the adult lateral skull base].
OBJECTIVE
Through the observation and the measurements of the significant anatomical landmark the lateral skull base, to provide anatomical data of clinical location and navigation for surgery at the lateral skull base.


METHODS
Significant anatomical landmarks of twenty adult cadaveric heads (40 sides) fixed in 10% formaldehyde and 20 operation cases (20 sides) had been observed and measured. Lateral skull bases of cadaveric heads were numbered from 1st to 40th, while the operation cases were numbered from 1st to 20th.


RESULTS
The anatomical data was achieved by measuring related anatomical landmark as follows: the distances between the significant landmark of the lateral skull base and the pars neuraxis, vein of the jugular foramen; the areas of trautmann triangle; post labyrinths triangle and the superficial triangle of processus mastoideus; the maximal distance of initiative displacement of facial nerve in the lateral skull base operations.


CONCLUSIONS
The data measured at lateral skull base could effectively help operators not only to enlarge the field of vision in operations with security and to avoid the damagement of the important blood vessel and nerves, but also to retain the function of the facial nerve to the utmost.
Yu
Dezhi
D
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
Qiu
Jianxin
J
Wang
Jie
J
Zhen
Wenwen
W
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology