Translabyrinthine approach

The translabyrinthine approach is a surgical approach to the cerebellopontine angle, or CPA. It is used in the surgical extirpation of lesions of the cerebellopontine angle, including acoustic neuroma.

This surgical approach is typically performed by a team of surgeons, including a neurotologist (an ear, nose, and throat surgeon specializing in skull base surgery) as well as a neurosurgeon.

In this approach, the semicircular canals and vestibule, including the utricle and the saccule of the inner ear are removed with a surgical drill, causing complete sensorineural hearing loss in the operated ear.