Affiliation:
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery China‐Japan Friendship Hospital Beijing China
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundThe study was designed to identify new landmarks in the parapharyngeal segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) for nasopharyngectomy and describe a surgical procedure of endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid nasopharyngectomy (EETPN).MethodsFour cadaveric specimens were injected with colored silicone and subjected to CT scanning before dissection. The nasopharyngeal skull base was exposed using the endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid approach. The clinical data of four patients with nasopharyngeal malignances who underwent EETPN were reviewed.ResultsThe lateral edge of the longus capitis muscle medially; the foramen lacerum, petrous apex spine and the stump of the levator veli palatini muscle superior laterally; and the upper parapharyngeal ICA laterally constitute the ICA‐longus capitis muscle‐petrous apex spine triangle which was a novel landmark for the upper parapharyngeal segment of the ICA.ConclusionThe ICA‐longus capitis muscle‐petrous apex spine triangle are important landmarks of the upper parapharyngeal segment of the ICA.