ENDOTHELIAL INJURY OF CAPILLARIES IN THE STRIA VASCULARIS OF GUINEA-PIGS TREATED WITH CISPLATIN AND GENTAMICIN

The drugs cisplatin and gentamicin are used far treatment of various c ancer patients suffering from infection. The authors report a detailed electron microscopic study of blood Vessels in stria vascularis of gu inea pigs after treatment with cisplatin alone and in combination with gentamicin. The most distinctive features expressing endothelial cell ular injury were mitochondrial, including occasional paracrystalline i nclusions; electron-lucent foci with depleted organelles; intracytopla smic vacuole formations; lipid bodies; cytoplasmic extrusions located on the luminal surface; and severe luminal constriction of part of the vessels from animals treated with the combined drugs. The study sugge sts that the damage to strial capillaries due to treatment with cispla tin alone and in combination with gentamicin may contribute to the inj urious effects of these drugs on the strial tissue. Furthermore, the r esults of this study may enlarge the awareness of the potential vascul ar damage and vascular complications in additional body systems after medical use of cisplatin alone or in combination with gentamicin.