title: Surgical anatomy of the anterior supralabyrinthine air cell tract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to safely explore the medial wall of the attic, a working knowledge of the anatomy of the anterior supralabyrinthine air cell tract is required.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the surgically relevant anatomical relationships that comprise the anterior supralabyrinthine air cell tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical dissection of 10 fresh cadaveric temporal bones was undertaken, including measurement of distances between the key anterior supralabyrinthine anatomical landmarks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following mean distances were calculated: the labyrinthine segment between the geniculate ganglion and the ampullated end of the superior semicircular canal, 2.33 mm (range 1.75-2.75); the tympanic segment between the anterior margin of the oval window niche and the geniculate ganglion, 3.58 mm (range 3.25-4); and from the tympanic segment adjacent to the anterior margin of the oval window niche to the labyrinthine segment adjacent to the superior semicircular canal, 3.48 mm (range 3-4.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key anatomical landmarks of the anterior supralabyrinthine air cell tract define a distinct triangular segment of bone, knowledge of which is helpful in surgical dissection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otology and Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205, USA. mbgluth@uams.edu
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gluth
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Atlas
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005830:Geniculate Ganglion; D006801:Humans; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery