Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence of facial canal dehiscence and other bone defects by computed tomography

  • Review Article
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The facial nerve is the most vulnerable structure during otological surgeries. Facial canal dehiscence (FCD) is the main risk factor for iatrogenic injuries. Its prevalence in clinical studies ranges between 6 and 33.3%, while anatomical studies report 25–57%. The objective was to determine the prevalence of FCD stratified by age and gender in a healthy population.

Materials and methods

Temporal bones from high-resolution computed tomography (CT) were analyzed. Patients with a history of trauma or tumors of the temporal bone, cholesteatomas, chronic middle ear disease, and any pathology that could modify the bone’s anatomy, were excluded.

Results

A total of 184 temporal bones were included. FCD was observed in 94 (51.2%) of the analyzed bones. The tympanic portion was the most frequently affected site with 91 (49.5%), followed by the mastoid segment with 3 (1.6%). No dehiscence was found in the labyrinth portion. We observed 30 (31.9%) of the FCD involved the oval window. Other bone defects identified with the FCD included: 11 (11.7%) with a lateral semicircular canal fistula and 7 (7.4%) with tegmen tympani erosions.

Conclusion

FCD has a high prevalence among healthy patients. A pre-surgical otological evaluation using high-resolution CT should be indicated to properly assess the patient and reduce the risk of injury.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Yetiser S (2012) The dehiscent facial nerve canal. Int J Otolaryngol. 202:679708. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/679708

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Barnes G, Liang JN, Michaels L, Wright A, Hall S, Gleeson M (2001) Development of the fallopian canal in humans: a morphologic and radiologic study. Otol Neurotol 22(6):931–7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11698822

  3. Linder T, Mulazimoglu S, El Hadi T, Darrouzet V, Ayache D, Somers T, Schmerber S, Vincent C, Mondain M, Lescanne E, Bonard D (2016) Iatrogenic facial nerve injuries during chronic otitis media surgery: a multicenter retrospective study. Clin Otolaryngol 42(3):521–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ryu N, Kim J (2016) How to avoid facial nerve injury in mastoidectomy? J Audiol Otol 20(2):68–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Di Martino E, Sellhaus B, Haensel J, Schlegel JG, Westhofen M, Prescher A (2005) Fallopian canal dehiscences: a survey of clinical and anatomical findings. Eur Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol 262:120–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Selesnick SH, Lynn-Macrae AG (2001) The incidence of facial nerve dehiscence at surgery for cholesteatoma. Otol Neurotol 22(2):129–32. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11300257. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  7. Moody MW, Lambert PR (2007) Incidence of dehiscence of the facial nerve in 416 cases of cholesteatoma. Otol Neurotol 28(3):400–4. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17159491. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  8. Daniels RL, Krieger LW, Lippy WH (2001) The other ear: findings and results in 1,800 bilateral stapedectomies. Otol Neurotol 22(5):603–7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11568665. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  9. Li D, Cao Y (1996) Facial canal dehiscence: a report of 1465 stapes operations. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 105(6):467–71. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8638899. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  10. Baxter A (1971) Dehiscence of the fallopian canal. An anatomical study. J Laryngol Otol 85(6):587–94. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5581361. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  11. Moreano EH, Paparella MM, Zelterman D, Goycoolea MV (1994) Prevalence of facial canal dehiscence and of persistent stapedial artery in the human middle ear: a report of 1000 temporal bones. Laryngoscope 104(3 Pt 1):309–20. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8127188. Cited 8 Jul 2015

  12. Weiglein AH, Anderhuber W, Jakse R, Einspieler R (1994) Imaging of the facial canal by means of multiplanar angulated 2-D-high-resolution CT-reconstruction. Surg Radiol Anat 16:423–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Perez B, Campos ME, Rivero J, Campos DL, López-Aguado D (1997) Incidence of dehiscences in the fallopian canal. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 40(97):51–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kim CW, Rho YS, Ahn HY, Oh SJ (2008) Facial canal dehiscence in the initial operation for chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma. Auris Nasus Larynx 35:353–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Wiet RJ (1982) Iatrogenic facial paralysis. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 15(4):773–80. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7162817. Cited 5 Jun 2015

  16. Altuntas A, Unal A, Aslan A, Ozcan M, Kurkcuoglu S, Nalca Y (1998) Facial nerve paralysis in chronic suppurative otitis media: Ankara Numune Hospital experience. Auris Nasus Larynx 25(2):169–72. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9673730. Cited 5 Jun 2015

  17. Lin J-C, Ho K-Y, Kuo W-R, Wang L-F, Chai C-Y, Tsai S-M (2004) Incidence of dehiscence of the facial nerve at surgery for middle ear cholesteatoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 131(4):452–6. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15467616. Cited 5 Jun 2015

  18. Tüccar E, Tekdemir I, Aslan A, Elhan A, Deda H (2000) Radiological anatomy of the intratemporal course of facial nerve. Clin Anat 13(2):83–87. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2353(2000)13:2%3c83:AID-CA2%3e3.0.CO;2-Y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Yildirim-Baylan M, Ozmen CA, Gun R, Yorgancilar E, Akkuş Z, Topcu I (2012) An evaluation of preoperative computed tomography on patients with chronic otitis media. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 64(March):67–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Jaswal A, Jana AK, Sikder B, Sadhukhan SK, Jana U, Nandi TK (2008) Fallopian canal dehiscence: can it be pridicted. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 60(March):11–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ozbek C, Tuna E, Ciftci O, Yazkan O, Ozdem C (2009) Incidence of fallopian canal dehiscence at surgery for chronic otitis media. Eur Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol 266:357–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ocak E, Beton ÃS, Selcuk à (2016) Does dehiscence of the facial nerve canal affect. J Craniofac Surg 27(4):e374–e376. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000002635

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Faramarzi M, Roosta S (2017) Incidence of facial nerve canal dehiscence in primary and revision cholesteatoma surgery. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 69(3):300–306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-017-1094-5

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

No funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Medicina, Human Anatomy Department, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

    Andrea Fabiola Hernandez-Trejo, Karla Paola Cuellar-Calderon, Alejandro Quiroga-Garza, Katia Guzman-Avilan, Rodrigo Enrique Elizondo-Omaña & Santos Guzman-Lopez

  2. Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario “Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez”, Radiology and Imaging Department, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

    Masao Yamamoto-Ramos, Mario Alberto Campos-Coy & Guillermo Elizondo-Riojas

  3. Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario “Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez”, Otorhinolaryngology Department, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

    Jose Luis Treviño-Gonzalez

Authors
  1. Andrea Fabiola Hernandez-Trejo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karla Paola Cuellar-Calderon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jose Luis Treviño-Gonzalez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Masao Yamamoto-Ramos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mario Alberto Campos-Coy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alejandro Quiroga-Garza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Katia Guzman-Avilan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guillermo Elizondo-Riojas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Rodrigo Enrique Elizondo-Omaña
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Santos Guzman-Lopez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jose Luis Treviño-Gonzalez.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors confirm there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hernandez-Trejo, A.F., Cuellar-Calderon, K.P., Treviño-Gonzalez, J.L. et al. Prevalence of facial canal dehiscence and other bone defects by computed tomography. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 2681–2686 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06013-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06013-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation