• Jia-ping Zheng, Ming Song, Xiang-xin Zhan, Chu-zhong Li, Xu-yi Zong, and Ya-zhuo Zhang.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Yuquan Hospital, Tsinghua University, 5 Shijingshan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China.
• J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2014 Jul 1; 42 (5): 674-82.

ObjectiveTo describe an endoscopic perspective of the surgical anatomy of the trigeminal nerve.MethodsNine adult cadaveric heads were dissected endoscopically.ResultsOpening the pterygopalatine fossa is important because many key anatomical structures (V2, pterygopalatine ganglion, vidian nerve) can be identified and traced to other areas of the trigeminal nerve. From the pterygopalatine ganglion, the maxillary nerve and vidian nerve can be identified, and they can be traced to the gasserian ganglion and internal carotid artery. An anteromedial maxillectomy increases the angle of approach from the contralateral nares due to an increase in diameter of the piriform aperture, and provides excellent access to the mandibular nerve, the petrous carotid, and the cochlea.ConclusionsIdentification of key anatomical structures in the pterygopalatine fossa can be used to identify other areas of the trigeminal nerve, and an anteromedial maxillectomy is necessary to expose the ipsilateral mandibular nerve and contralateral cranial level of the trigeminal nerve.Copyright © 2013 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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