Microsurgical anatomy of the retroauricular, transcervico mastoid infralabyrinthine approach to jugular foramen

This article presents the microsurgical anatomy of jugular foramen through the retroauricular, transmastoid infralabyrinthine approach. This method is easier than the classical infratemporal approach and provides better exposure for the cranial nerves reaching the neck. Detailed steps of infralabyrinthine, transcervico-mastoid approach are demonstrated using cadaveric dissection, along with description of relevant microsurgical anatomy of this region. This is a less complex and lesser time-consuming approach to the jugular foramen region, which can be combined with several other exposures depending on the extension of tumour.