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The objective of this study was to classify anomalous facial nerve (FN) routes and to determine their association with inner ear malformations (IEMs).

Retrospective cross sectional study.

The computed tomography images of 519 patients (796 ears) with IEMs were retrospectively evaluated, and the abnormal routes of the FN were classified as: Meatal segment: type 1, normal internal auditory canal (IAC); type 2, narrow IAC; type 3, facial canal (FC) only; type 4: separate FC/duplicated IAC. Labyrinthine segment (LS): type 1, normal; type 2a/b/c, mild/moderate/severe anterior displacement; type 3, superior displacement; type 4: straight LS. Tympanic segment (TS): type 1, normal; type 2, superiorly displaced TS; type 3, TS at the oval window; type 4: TS inferior to the oval window; type 5: unclassified. Mastoid segment: type 1, normal facial recess (FR)/normal mastoid …