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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Preserving the Facial Nerve during Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy: Surgical Anatomy and Stepwise Illustration

Abstract

Surgical safety and efficiency during an orbitozygomatic (OZ) osteotomy rely on thorough knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the facial nerve. Although the anatomy of the facial nerve and its relation to the pterional craniotomy are described, a thorough assessment of facial nerve preservation techniques during the OZ approach and its variations is lacking. We assessed the surgical anatomy of the facial nerve related to the OZ approach and provided a thorough stepwise description on how to preserve it.