Important Landmarks for Facial Canal in the Middle Ear and Mastoid: Human Cadaveric Temporal Bone Study

[LANGUAGE= "English"] Purpose: The aim of the present study was to measure the distances of human temporal bone between important landmarks for facial canal in the middle ear and mastoid.Material and Methods: Length and diameter of the tympanic and mastoid portion of the facial canal, of the lateral semicircular canal, proc. cochleariformis, eminentia pyramidalis, distances to the related facial canal; the distance between proc. cochleariformis and tegmen tympani; proc. cochleariformis and anterior side of the fenestra vestibuli; the uppermost point of lateral semicircular canal and tegmen tympani were measured and recorded.Results: Length and diameter of tympanic and mastoid portion of the facial canal revealed concordance with the literature. In addition, distance between lateral semicircular canal-second genu of the facial canal, eminentia piramidalis-facial canal, proc. cochleariformis - facial canal were also in concordance with the literature. The distance between proc. cochleariformis - tegmen tympani ranged 1.50-10.30 mm; proc. cochleariformis-fenestra vestibuli ranged 1.20- 4.00 mm; lateral semicircular canal-tegmen tympani ranged 1.25-10.50 mm.Conclusion: Distances between proc. cochleariformis-tegmen tympani, proc. cochleariformis-fenestra vestibuli, lateral semicircular canal-tegmen tympani, offer additional important knowledge to the physicians interested in mastoid and middle ear anatomy.