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IntroductionWhile accessing the posterior fossa, the anterior transpetrosal approach (ATPA) and endoscopic transorbital approach (ETOA) use the same bony landmarks during petrous apex drilling. However, owing to their contrasting surgical axes, they are expected to show differences in surgical view, maneuverability, and clinical implications. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of ETOA in accessing the brainstem and to compare the surgical view and maneuverability of each approach.MethodsATPA and ETOA were performed in four human cadaveric heads (eight sides and four sides in each procedure). The angle of attack (AOA) and surgical depth were measured at the target of interest (root exit zone [REZ] of cranial nerve [CN] V, VI, and VII). When measuring the area of exposure, the brainstem was divided into two areas (anterior and lateral brainstem) based on the longitudinal line crossing the entry zone of the trigeminal root, and the area of each was measured.ResultsATPA showed significantly greater value at the trigeminal REZ in both vertical (31.8 ± 6.7° vs. 14.3 ± 5.3°, p=0.006) and horizontal AOA (48.5 ± 2.9° vs. 15.0 ± 5.2°, p |