Surgical Navigation Applied in Removal of Glass Located Under Zygomatic Arch

Abstract

The limited detection rate of plain radiography (as low as 75%) for glass particles within the softs renders the conventional C-arm visualization method ineffective in intraoperative scenarios. The authors report the successful use of intraoperative navigation to visualize and extract multiple small glass fragments located deep within the temporal fossa and beneath the zygomatic arch. A 25-year-old man presented with a deep facial laceration, suspected injury to the temporal branch of the facial nerve, and a 2×2 cm foreign body beneath the sphenoid bone near the left zygomatic arch. The initial surgery removed most of the glass; however, two 4 mm fragments remained near the skull base. Using intraoperative navigation, a 3 cm incision was made, and a navigating stylet was used to locate and remove the foreign bodies. In conclusion, intraoperative navigation is a precise method for removing small, imperceptible glass fragments from challenging anatomic areas, thus reducing the need for extensive dissection compared to conventional approaches.