facial canal

Introduction

The facial canal lies between the internal acoustic meatus & the stylomastoid foramen

It carries fibers of the facial nerve (CN 7)

Nerve fibers originating in the facial nucleus, innervating muscles of facial expression (facial nerve) exit the facial canal through the stylomastoid foramen

Pathology

• the facial canal is the usual site of a Bell's palsy.

More general terms

• anatomic canal