Histopathologic Study of the Guinea Pig Stapediovestibular Joint in Experimental Otitis Media

Ahn, Ouk Seon; Cho, Yong Bum; Shim, Woo Jin; Shin, Jin An

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Otitis media is one of the most common diseases in otolaryngology, and the stapediovestibular joint could be influenced by the inflammation of the middle ear cavity. This study was performed in order to observe the changes of the stapediovestibular joint in experimentally induced otitis media.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Otitis media was induced by innoculation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the tympanic bullae of a guinea pig. The temporal bone was then removed after 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 7 weeks and observed with a light microscope.
RESULTS
In the first week, many neutrophils and monocytes were aggregated in the middle ear cavity. The continuity of the middle ear mucosa was broken especially on the stapediovestibular joint, so the joint cavity was exposed. In the second week, inflammation remained. The mucosa of the middle ear cavity had thickened and the submucosal inflammatory cells were aggregated. In the fourth week, the inflammation was nearly subsided and the mucosa around the stapediovestibular joint was nearly normalized. In the seventh week, there was no evidence of the inflammation in the middle ear cavity and around the stapediovestibular joint.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that the stapediovestibular joint could have been damaged by the inflammation in the middle ear, and that inflammation can influence the inner ear.