• Gemma Blanch Pujol, Jose L Sanmillan, Juan José Sánchez-Fernandez, Isabel Fernandez-Conejero, Pere Cifre Serra, Alberto Torres, and Andreu Gabarrós Canals.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
• World Neurosurg. 2022 Dec 1; 168: e317e327e317-e327.

ObjectiveWe aim to evaluate the usefulness of preoperative facial nerve tractography in determining the facial nerve position in cerebellopontine angle tumor resection and its value in helping to preserve facial nerve function during surgery.MethodsA prospective study was designed to include patients presenting with cerebellopontine angle tumors. Three-dimensional reconstruction of facial nerve tractography was performed and added to the usual preoperative testing in all patients. Facial nerve position was compared between tractography results and surgical findings. Moreover, facial nerve function was evaluated at baseline and during follow-up.ResultsFifteen patients were included for analysis. Complete resection was obtained in 5 patients, near-total resection was achieved in 8 patients, and partial resection in 2 patients. We found a strong statistically significant concordance between the preoperative facial nerve tractography reconstruction and the intraoperative findings (complete concordance in 86.66% of all the cases; κ = 0.784; P < 0.0001). Facial nerve anatomic structure was preserved in all patients during surgery. At 6 months follow-up, 66.66% of patients had a facial nerve normal function or a mild dysfunction.ConclusionsPreoperative facial nerve tractography reconstruction showed a high correlation with intraoperative findings. Preoperative tractography information regarding facial nerve position and its cisternal course is valuable information and could help the surgeon in increasing the safety of the procedure during cerebellopontine angle tumor surgery.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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