Abstract
The exposure of the petrous segment internal carotid artery (ICA) is detailed in this paper. It was found that there was a 10~15 mm length of the horizontal segment of the petrous ICA that could be exposed. To avoid injury to the cochlea, drilling of the petrous bone must be started in the Glasscock triangle just behind the foramen ovale. And to preserve the facial nerve function, the greater superficial petrosal nerve must be cut first so as not to tract the geniculate ganglion. The exposure was useful for obtaining proxymal control of the cavernous ICA and for making a working space for petrous to supraclinoid carotid saphenous vein graft.
This surgical technique can be recommended in the management of patients with intracavernous vascular or neoplastic lesions, with basilar aneurysms, and with clival tumors.
