Three-dimensional reconstruction of the cochlear nuclear complex in humans.

For accurate physical three-dimensional reconstruction of the cochlear nuclear complex (CN), we used light microscopy to analyze the CN boundaries, cell types, and myelinated nerve bundles and transferred traced contours from enlarged photographs of serial sections onto acrylic plates. We produced two models, one demonstrating the CN in relation to the brain stem and the other showing the CN completely dissected out of the brain stem. The models localized the CN boundaries on the brain-stem surface and revealed topographic characteristics of the CN and a part of the eighth nerve adjacent to the brain stem. The major parts of the CN, namely, the ventral and dorsal cochlear nuclei, are located mainly within the lateral recess. The models produced are currently used in our institution to determine the optimal surgical and electrophysiologic approach to the CN.