Middle Fossa Craniotomy and Approach to the Internal Auditory Canal or Petrous Apex

Indications

• The middle fossa approach is a largely extradural approach to the bony structures that make up the floor of the middle fossa.

• Although the convex floor of the middle fossa is the most straightforward region to access with this approach, this approach is commonly the starting point for anterior transpetrosal approaches to the internal auditory canal (IAC) or petroclival junction.