[Pyramidal approaches to surgical treatment of pathologic formations of the cerebellopontine angle and pyramids of the temporal bone].

Pyramidal approaches are sufficiently effective, cause little traumas, and are easily tolerated by the patients. They are indicated in surgical management of diseases of the cerebellopontine angle such as tumors (neurinoma of the auditory nerve, cholesteatoma), cystic arachnoiditis, tumors of the temporal bone pyramid (glomus tumors, cysts), compression of the facial nerve in mechanical trauma of the pyramid, etc. The choice of the variant of the pyramidal approach to the pathological focus should be guided by the following main criteria: localization of the process and the extent of its spreading; condition of the facial nerve; condition of the auditory function.