[Oto-neuro-surgical approach and accessibility to the cochlear nuclei. Significance in auditory brain stem implant]

The auditory brainstem implant (ABI) is now used to stimulate the cochlear nucleus to obtain auditory perception in patients with type 2 neurofibromatosis. Only electrical stimulation of the cochlear nucleus complex, in the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle, can achieve auditory rehabilitation of these profound bilateral retrocochlear deafness. With 20 standard translabyrinthine approaches, our personal anatomical study propose to describe surgical landmarks of the cochlear nuclear complex and surgical accessibility of the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle. The root of vestibulocochlear nerve, the glossopharyngeal nerve and the choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle might have surgical significance because of their reliability.