Bv. Agirdir et al., The canal of the posterior ampullar nerve: an important anatomic landmark in the posterior fossa transmeatal approach, SUR RAD AN, 23(5), 2001, pp. 331-334
The canal of the posterior ampullar nerve is located between the inferior p
art of the internal acoustic meatus and ampulla of the posterior semicircul
ar canal. It permits a more accurate localisation of the underlying labyrin
th in inner-ear surgery. An anatomical and radiological study was undertake
n to determine the importance the relationship between the canal and the la
byrinth. Ten dry and 10 cadaveric temporal bone dissections, together with
20 high resolution CT scans of the same temporal bones were studied in an a
ttempt to describe the anatomy of the canal of the posterior ampullar nerve
. The length of the canal of the posterior ampullar nerve, the length of in
ternal acoustic meatus. and distances from porus acusticus to the singular
foramen and the transverse crest, and from the singular foramen to the vest
ibule and transverse crest, and from operculum to the sigmoid sinus and to
the porus acusticus were measured. During the transmeatal posterior cranial
fossa approach using the canal of the posterior ampullar nerve as a landma
rk enables more bone to be safely removed from the internal acoustic meatus
thus preserving hearing.