[Transtemporal supralabyrinthine approach]

Transtemporal supralabyrinthine approach is a modified middle cranial fossa approach. It offers all the advantages of a middle cranial fossa procedure and avoids its disadvantages, mainly the extensive temporal lobe retraction and frightening complications. The principle of the approach is to gain sufficient access toward the internal auditory canal by removing bone from the roof of the petrous pyramid rather than by elevating the middle fossa dura away from it. Fifteen patients underwent this approach for decompression of paralysed facial nerve resulted from temporal bone fracture, Bell's palsy and herpes zoster oticus; for removal of facial neuromas and primary cholesteatomas in temporal bone and for sectioning of great superficial petrous nerve. Preliminary study showed good results.