Home Temporal Bone Dissection: Anatomic Approaches to Ear Surgery

Abstract

The anatomy of the temporal bone can only be mastered by repeated surgical and anatomic dissections. For the otolaryngologist who does not have access to laboratory facilities, a technique for dissecting temporal bones at home using readily available and inexpensive equipment is described. The basic home dissecting kit consists of dry temporal bones, a high-speed hobby drill, dental burrs, loupes, and paints. The preparation of temporal bones for dissection and approaches to anatomic, transmastoid, transcanal, and neuro-otologic dissections are presented. The relative benefits of home dissection in learning temporal bone anatomy and developing new surgical approaches, such as a transcanal-transcochlear approach to the internal auditory canal, are discussed.