[Anomaly of supraganglionic portion of facial nerve (author's transl)]

In a boy of 10 with primary cholesteatoma of the right ear the following anomaly of the facial nerve was demonstrated: The nerve enters the mastoid posteriorly to the labyrinth, in Trautmann's area, there it makes a right-angled turn forward and runs in a horizontal, slightly upward direction through mastoid and antrum, crossing the lateral canal, via the epitympanum in close relation to body of incus and head of malleus, in which it had moulded a groove. It leaves the epitympanum superiorly to the processus cochleariformis, and joins the geniculate ganglion; from there completely normal course in tympanic and mastoid portion of Fallopian canal. The nerve could be preserved. Its identity was confirmed by electric stimulation. There were no other anomalies. The embryologic, forensic and surgical aspects of this anomaly are discussed. Reference is made to the paper of Prentiss and Dean 1905, the only known observation that resembles this case in some aspects.