Bilateral Bifurcation of the Mastoid Segment of the Facial Nerve / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

The facial nerve is the most important structure in the ear surgery. The presence of an anomalous route of the facial nerve is rarely encountered, and this occurs more frequently in the presence of a middle ear malformation. However, anomalies of the facial nerve in the normal temporal bone remain poorly defined. Information about this anomaly has a certain practical value in reducing the incidence of facial nerve injuries in the middle ear and the mastoid surgery. In this article, we report a case of a 33-year-old man with bifurcation of the mastoid segment of the facial nerve on both sides, combined with attic cholesteatoma on the right ear.