title: Anatomical study of the pigs temporal bone by microdissection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Initial study of the pig`s temporal bone anatomy in order to enable a new experimental model in ear surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dissection of five temporal bones of Sus scrofa pigs obtained from UNIFESP - Surgical Skills Laboratory, removed with hole saw to avoid any injury and stored in formaldehyde 10% for better conservation. The microdissection in all five temporal bone had the following steps: inspection of the outer part, external canal and tympanic membrane microscopy, mastoidectomy, removal of external ear canal and tympanic membrane, inspection of ossicular chain and middle ear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anatomically it is located at the same position than in humans. Some landmarks usually found in humans are missing. The tympanic membrane of the pig showed to be very similar to the human, separating the external and the middle ear. The middle ear`s appearance is very similar than in humans. The ossicular chain is almost exactly the same, as well as the facial nerve, showing the same relationship with the lateral semicircular canal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The temporal bone of the pigs can be used as an alternative for training in ear surgery, especially due the facility to find it and its similarity with temporal bone of the humans.
authors.affiliation: Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo.
authors.forename: Leandro de Borborema
authors.initials: Lde B
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo.
authors.forename: José Santos Cruz de
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Federal University of São Paulo.
authors.forename: José Ricardo Gurgel
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Testa
mesh_terms: D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D000818:Animals; D004423:Ear / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D042282:Microdissection / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology