[Suprapetrosal approach to the anterosuperior surface of the petrous bone. Its importance for the treatment of rare lesions of the sphenoid bone, trigeminal nerve and internal carotid artery].

The anterior suprapetrosal approach provides access to the anterior part of the middle cerebral fossa and its various openings: small round, oval and large round foramina. Trephination of the floor of the cerebral fossa reveals the Eustachian tube, the intrapetrosal portion of the internal carotid artery, the pterygomaxillary fossa, and possibly a particularly markedly developed recess of the sphenoidal sinus. This new surgical approach can resolve certain rare but classical therapeutic problems, particularly of excision of tumors in this region: neurinomas of V developing anteriorly, meningioma.