Facial Nerve Anatomy and Preservation in Contemporary Surgery

Facial nerve preservation during skull base, otologic, and parotid surgery requires individualized, anatomy-driven approach integrating diffusion tensor imaging tractography, intraoperative monitoring, and AI predictive models to optimize outcomes.

• In vestibular schwannoma, nerve displacement, capsular adhesion, and cystic degeneration increase complexity and worsen facial outcomes.
• In parotid surgery, highly variable branching architecture and inconsistent landmarks risk iatrogenic injury.
• DTI tractography and AI models show promise for preoperative FN localization and personalized surgical planning.

Automated summary

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