Turkish Neurosurgery 2022 , Vol 32 , Num 3
Development of the Geniculate Ganglion in Human Fetuses
Oykut DAGTEKIN1,Orhan BEGER2,Pourya TAGHIPOUR3,Ahmet DAGTEKIN4,Alev BOBUS ORS5,Yusuf VAYISOGLU6,Derya Umit TALAS6
1Mersin City Hospital, Department of Histology and Embryology, Mersin, Turkey
2Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Gaziantep, Turkey
3Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey
4Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Mersin, Turkey
5Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Mersin, Turkey
6Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mersin, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.35393-21.2 AIM: To present the quantitative development of the geniculate ganglion (GG) in foetal cadavers.

MATERIAL and METHODS: This study focused on 60 temporal bones of 30 (15 female and 15 male) foetuses aged 18?30 weeks of gestation (mean age, 22.83 ± 3.49 weeks) to measure the length, width and area of the GG.

RESULTS: According to gestational weeks and months, the ganglion length (1.21 ± 0.41 mm), width (1.03 ± 0.28 mm) and area (1.24 ± 0.61 mm2) did not change. In terms of sexes or sides, ganglion dimensions were not significantly different. Positive correlation was found between the length and width (p=0.033, r=0.276), between the length and area (p<0.001, r=0.762) and between the width and area (p<0.001, r=0.622). Linear functions were calculated for the ganglion area (y=0.355 + 0.039 × weeks), length (y=0.636 + 0.025 × weeks) and width (y=0.634 + 0.017 × weeks).

CONCLUSION: The ganglion size did not change in foetal cadavers aged 18?30 weeks of gestation. This finding may be important for anatomists and embryologists in performing morphometric studies and understanding the development of the GG and for neurootologists and neurosurgeons in achieving greater success in skull base surgeries. Keywords : Dissection, Facial Nerve, Foetuses, Geniculate Ganglion

Corresponding author : Ahmet DAGTEKIN, dagtekin69@yahoo.com