[Otological possibilities of conservation and reconstruction of facial function in operations within the internal auditory canal and the cerebellopontine angle (author's transl)].

Description of the possibilities of operations within the internal auditory canal and the cerebellopontine angle, especially of the removal of acoustic neuromas by transtemporal and translabyrinthine approach. Besides at the total removal of the tumor the operative technique aims at the conservation of the facial nerve and its function. The transtemporal approach is recommended only for the removal of small tumors limited to the internal auditory canal. If the tumor originates from the vestibular nerve, the facial and cochlear nerve can be preserved by this procedure. The translabyrinthine approach implicate the complete unilateral deafness but is available even for the removal of bigger tumors leaving the internal auditory canal in the direction of the cerebello-pontine angle. Sketches and operation slides illustrate details of the operative preparation. Special difficulties occuring in the cerebellopontine angle are demonstrated. Clinical and diagnostic problems in relation to the operation planning are discribed. The cooperation between otosurgeon and neurosurgeon is indispensable