The extratemporal facial nerve.

The extratemporal course of the facial nerve must be completely understood if surgery is required for the removal of parotid and other tumors in the infratemporal space and skull base or if the nerve itself must be exposed when it has been severed. The key to mastering this surgery is to understand the anatomy of the parotid space and its relations to surrounding structures so that the facial nerve can be found during surgery and preserved intact. Tumor masses or scar tissue may distort normal structures and relations to adjacent structures; this must be kept in mind while operating in this complicated anatomic area.