J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2013; 74 - A242
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1336365

The “Münster Correlation” in the Temporal Bone: Surgical Relevance of an Anatomical Study

Hamid Borghei-Razavi 1(presenter), Uta Schick 1
  • 1Münster, Germany

Resection of the temporal bone to various degrees provides different levels of access to lesions of the posterior fossa. However, regarding the numerous variations, precise distances of petrosal bone are not still clearly described.

Our objectives were to evaluate different distances of temporal bone landmarks to assess their variations and the possible correlations between them, and to evaluate the surgical relevance of the possible correlations.

The anatomical study was performed on 60 temporal bones from 60 human cadavers. All the bones contained an adequate portion of the petrous apex and attached fossa dura. Twelve landmarks were defined, and 27 different distances were measured for each temporal bone using a two-point caliper. We have analyzed the variation of different distances between landmarks and also the correlation between different measured distances.

There was a significant correlation between the distance between the inferior axial plane of posterior semicircular canal to superior plane of jugular bulb (JPS) and the thickness of the mastoid cortex in M point (M point has been defined by the authors). This correlation is important for estimating the height of the jugular bulb during the lateral suboccipital craniotomy in cerebellopontine angle surgery. The Münster correlation is an easy and safe method for estimating the height of the jugular bulb in CP angle surgery.