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Objectives: This retrospective computed tomography (CT) study was aimed to assess the growth dynamic of the external aperture of the carotid canal (EACC) in children aged between 1 and 20 years., Methods: Two hundred patients (sex 100 females/100 males, average age 10.50 ± 5.77 years) with good head CT image quality were included in this study. CT images of the patients were used to obtain data related to the location, shape and dimension of EACC., Results: EACC shapes were identified as oval shaped, round shaped, and tear-drop shaped in 58.3% (233 sides), 24% (96 sides) and 17.8% (71 sides), respectively. EACC length, disEACC-MSP (distance between EACC and midsagittal plane), and EACC width did not change from the prepubescence period; while, the disEACC-SC (distance between EACC and supramastoid crest) seemed to reach adult size in the postpubescence period. Linear functions for EACC length and width were calculated as: y = 5.453 + 0.091 × years, and y = 5.398 + 0.059 × years, respectively., Conclusion: The regression equations of the measured parameters representing the growth dynamic of EACC in children can be helpful to estimate its size, location and angulation, which suggest that the dimension and distances to certain anatomical landmarks seemed to reach adult size in different developmental periods. In this context, the findings of this study may seem to emphasize the importance of preoperative radiological evaluation on skull base, related to EACC, for multidisciplinary surgeon teams during childhood surgeries in terms of patients' positioning, and the selection of appropriate surgical approach.

Objective: The main aim of this study placed on cadavers was to compare the data related to geniculate ganglion (GG) dehiscence and dimension obtained from computed tomography (CT) with dissection values., Methods: This study was conducted on 20 temporal bones obtained from 10 cadavers (4 female, 6 male) aged between 45 and 92 (71.50 ± 15.98) years. All the measurements related to GG dimension were performed with a CT scanner and microdissection., Results: The size of GG including its area, length, and width did not show statistically significant differences in terms of sex, side, and assessment method (CT and cadaveric dissections). The dehiscent GG was observed in 6 (30%) and 5 (25%) out of 20 temporal bones in CT and cadaveric dissections, respectively. The presence and absence of GG dehiscence in CT and dissection were similar in 75%., Conclusions: Our findings based on dissection data suggest that radiologic evaluation of dehiscent GG detection might be erroneous by 25%, which highlights that surgeons should be careful when lifting the dura to prevent GG injury during middle cranial fossa surgical approaches. On the other hand, there was no statistical difference between CT and dissection measurements related to GG dimension., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The main objective of the study was to examine the morphometric development of the facial canal in temporal bones aged from one to 18 years for pediatric otosurgeons and neurosurgeons., Methods: The study was performed on 41 patients including cochlear implantation cases (20 females and 21 males) with a mean age of 6.44 ± 5.79 years. All the measurements belonging to the facial canal including the length, width and angles of its segments were performed using the data of computed tomography assessment., Results: The numerical data of the facial canal segments were not different in terms of sexes or sides, statistically (p > 0.05). The width of the labyrinthine segment (p = 0.145), the length of the tympanic segment (p = 0.555), the first (p = 0.067) and second (p = 0.060) genu angles seemed to reach adult size at two years of age. In addition, the length of the labyrinthine segment (p = 0.064) and the width of the mastoid segment (p = 0.264) seemed to attain adult size at four years, while the width of the meatal foramen (p = 0.264) seemed to arrive adult size at seven years. However, the length of the mastoid segment and the width of the tympanic segment were developing independently of increasing age between 1 and 18 years., Conclusion: Our data suggested that, contrary to the general acceptance in the literature, the dimension of the facial canal segments show remarkable changes during the transition from intrauterine life to adult life. The regression equations representing the facial canal growth dynamic in children may be useful for otosurgeons to estimate the size of its segments and to prevent iatrogenic injury during early childhood surgeries such as cochlear implantation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the right and left sides of the carotid foramen (CF) to determine its precise location according to certain anatomical landmarks., Materials and Methods: Twenty human dry skulls were included in the study. A digital caliper and a digital image analysis software were used to obtain direct anatomical numerical values. Then, the same parameters on dry skulls were assessed with computed tomography (CT)., Results: CF was found to be round shaped (62.5%), oval shaped (32.5%), and tear-drop shaped (5%). In all cases, the position of CF was seen as just postero-laterally of the foramen lacerum. According to the jugular foramen, CF was seen to be anterior in 85% and antero-medial in 15% of the cases. Regarding the morphometric values of the surface area, the length and width of CF were observed to be 37.86±11.24 mm2, 8.02±1.09 mm, and 6.86±0.90 mm at direct anatomical measurements and 39.69±10.07 mm2, 7.89±1.14 mm, and 6.41±0.90 mm at CT, respectively. The angles between the supramastoid crest-CF-zygoma root and the supramastoid crest-CF-mastoid process were determined as 37.11±6.87º and 42.22±6.40º at direct anatomical measurements and 36.59±4.94º and 43.71±4.55º at CT, respectively., Conclusion: A significant difference in sides was not observed in relation with the numerical data of CF obtained from CT or from direct anatomical measurements of dry skulls. Moreover, a significant difference was not found between radiological and direct anatomical measurements. Therefore, precise radiological assessment of this region by an experienced neuroradiologist may be assumed as a fundamental need for successful surgeries of the skull base, in addition to thorough anatomical knowledge of neurootologists and neurosurgeons.

Objectives: The main aim of the study was to examine the development and course of the facial nerve within fetal temporal bones from an anatomical and neuro-otological perspective., Methods: The study was conducted on 32 temporal bones from obtained fetuses (7 females, 9 male), on a mean gestational age of 26.75 ± 4.36 (range, 20-34) weeks from the collection of the Anatomy Department of Medicine Faculty. All the measurements were collected with a digital image analysis software., Results: Neither male/female nor right/left significant differences were observed in relation with the algebraic data of the segment lengths and angles of the facial nerve (p > 0.05). Linear functions for meatal, labyrinthine, tympanic, and mastoid segment lengths of the facial nerve were calculated as: y = -1.206 + 0.200 × Age (weeks), y = -1.868 + 0.153 × Age (weeks), y = -2.327 + 0.325 × Age (weeks), and y = -1.507 + 0.246 × Age (weeks), respectively. In addition, linear functions for first and second genu angles were calculated as: y = 105.475-0.117 × Age (weeks) and y = 140.446-0.042 × Age (weeks), respectively., Conclusion: The regression equations and the scatter plot with increment curve, representing the growth dynamics of the facial nerve can be used for estimating its lengths and for understanding its development. The data suggest that there is a dramatic change transition from fetal life to the gathered data of adulthood in the length of meatal and mastoid segments as well as in the second genu angle; in addition, there is a partial change in the length of labyrinthine and tympanic segments as well as in the first genu angle., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The main aim of this retrospective computed tomography (CT) study was to examine the morphometric development of the geniculate ganglion (GG) in children aged between 1 and 18 years for surgical approaches. Methods: This study was placed on 41 patients (20 females and 21 males) including cochlear implantation cases aged from one to 18 (at mean, 6.44 ± 5.79) years. All the measurements belonging to the length, width and area of GG were performed with a CT scanner. Results: The morphometric values of GG were not different in terms of sex or side, statistically (p > 0.05). The length (p = 0.155) of GG was not correlated with the increasing ages from one to 18 years; however, its area (p < 0.001) and width (p = 0.003) were found to be increased in the childhood period. Linear functions for the length, width and area of GG were calculated as y = 2.028 + 0.011 × age (years), y = 1.496 + 0.014 × age (years), and y = 3.239 + 0.035 × Age (years), respectively. The dehiscence of GG was found in 22 (26.8%) out of 82 temporal bones. Conclusion: Our data suggested that the area and width of GG were progressively increasing with age in the childhood period. The calculated formula representing the growth dynamic of GG in children and the incidence of the presence of the dehiscent GG can be useful for radiologists and otologists to estimate its size and to avoid iatrogenic injury during early childhood surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]