Editing Middle ear (section)

===Nerves===
Of surgical importance are two branches of the [[facial nerve]] that also pass through the middle ear space.  These are the horizontal portion of the facial nerve and the [[chorda tympani]].  Damage to the horizontal branch during ear surgery can lead to  paralysis of the face (same side of the face as the ear).  The chorda tympani is the branch of the facial nerve that carries taste from the [[Anatomical terms of location#Medial and lateral|ipsilateral]] half (same side) of the tongue.