ObjectiveTo assess the effect of polyurethane gelatum grommet positioning and Mayfield head holder positioning under suboccipital retrosigmoid approach in acoustic neuroma resection on patients' facial crushing. MethodsRetrospective analysis of the clinical and nursing data of 90 patients treated by microsurgical surgery under the lateral prone position in our hospital from January 2013 to January 2014 was carried out. Patients in group A (n=28) were given grommet positioning, while those in group B (n=62) were given Mayfield head holder positioning, and then we compared the situation of facial crushing between the two groups. ResultsIn group A, 5 patients showed abnormality including 2 cases of skin injury in lower frontozygomatic and mandibular area, 2 cases of lower conjunctival edema and 1 of co-existing skin injury in lower zygomatic area and lower conjunctival edema, and the crushing rate was 17.86% in group A. In group B, the crushing rate was 1.61% with one case of mandibular skin injury. There was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2=5.778, P=0.016). ConclusionUnder suboccipital retrosigmoid approach for acoustic neuroma resection, Mayfield head holder positioning is better to avoid facial crushing.