VASCULAR INNER PARTITION - A CONCEPT FOR SOME FORMS OF SENSORINEURAL HEARING-LOSS AND VERTIGO

The results of a series of scanning electron microscopical studies wer e used to construct a model for the vascular pathways in the inner ear , Corrosion cast preparations of the vessels of the inner ear of the a dult rat were used in this study, The inner ear is, like a hand, an en d organ containing four sense organs (cochlea, saccule, utricle and th e cristae ampullaris), All these specific inner ear structures have th eir own vascular supply. We have developed a blood flow diagram of the inner ear, This model was used for a classification of different type s of ischemia in the inner ear and forms a concept for some forms of s ensorineural hearing loss and vertigo. Four types of inner ear ischemi a are proposed, In type I (a or b) of inner ear ischemia only the vess els of the cochlea are involved resulting in two types of hearing loss without vertigo, Type II is characterized by ischemia of a part of th e cochlea and a part of the vestibular system. In type III (a or b) on ly the vestibular system is involved, while in type IV no blood circul ation will be present in the inner ear resulting in total deafness and severe vertigo, Inner ear partition at ultramicroscopical level of th ese structures may be possible in the future and new imaging technique s will probably support the vascular schematic model presented in this study.