First clinical evaluation of the navigated controlled drill at the lateral skull base.

Surgery on the lateral skull base puts delicate structures at risk. To support the surgeon in identifying and protecting the risk structures the principle of Navigated Control (NC) can be used for preventing iatrogenic injuries. In this paper the application of Navigated Control for surgery on the lateral skull base was investigated for the first time in clinical use. There was no risk structure damage with NC. Navigated Control in lateral skull base Surgery seems to have a great potential for safe risk structure protection, a morbidity reduction and in a relief of strain for the surgeon.