Abstract
Objective To prevent damage to the facial nerve while doing surgery and to give facial nerve
block by anesthetics near the stylomastoid foramen we should know its distance from
the important anatomical landmarks. So, this study aims to study the location of stylomastoid
with respect to nearby anatomical landmarks.
Materials and Methods The study was performed on 58 dry skulls. Measurements of stylomastoid foramen were
taken from various anatomical landmarks on both sides of the skull. Data analysis
was done by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 19 version.
Results The mean distance of the center of the stylomastoid foramen (CSMF) to the tip of
the mastoid process was 1.60, 1.57 cm on the right and left side, respectively. The
mean distance of CSMF to the upper end of the anterior border of the mastoid process
was 1.42, 1.39 cm on the right and left side, respectively. The mean angle between
CSMF and tip of the mastoid process was 51.6 degrees, 53.5 degrees on right and left
side, respectively. The mean distance of CSMF to the center of jugular foramen was
1.27, 1.26 cm on the right and left side, respectively. The position of the stylomastoid
foramen in relation to a transverse line passing through the upper end of the anterior
border of both mastoid processes was anterior in 82.7%, 94.8% of cases on the right
and left side, respectively.
Conclusion These measurements will aid neurosurgeons in doing surgeries near the stylomastoid
foramen or anesthetics to give facial nerve block near the foramen.
Keywords
stylomastoid foramen - facial nerve block - neurosurgeons - facial nerve - anesthesia
