ABSTRACT
The entire endolymphatic duct and sac as well as the vestibular epithelia were obtained from four patients with Meniere's disease during translabyrinthine (TL) eighth nerve section and from 12 patients undergoing TL resection of acoustic schwannomas. After these specimens were processed for routine transmission electron microscopy (TEM), they were studied for morphologic evidence of viral infection. Although no virus particles were identified, numerous regularly occurring cell components and artifacts were found to morphologically mimic viruses. An atlas of these structures is presented.
Subject(s)
Ear, Inner/ultrastructure , Endolymphatic Duct/ultrastructure , Labyrinth Diseases/diagnosis , RNA, Viral/analysis , Virus Diseases/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Ear, Inner/microbiology , Endolymphatic Duct/microbiology , Female , Humans , Labyrinth Diseases/microbiology , Male , Microscopy, Electron , RNA Probes , RNA Viruses/isolation & purification , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Virus Diseases/microbiologyABSTRACT
There are indications that endolymphatic sac (ES) may be an immunologically active part of the inner ear. So far, no microorganisms or foreign substances have been localized in this area under 'normal' conditions. Only a limited number of human specimens, including the entire endolymphatic duct (ED) and ES, have been collected and analyzed from cadavers or surgical biopsy specimens. In this study, 6 human ED and ES collected from cadavers and at surgery were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. This was done in order to investigate if microorganisms may normally be drained at this route into the ES. Some microorganisms (Mycoplasma pneumoniae) were found in the lumen and subepithelial tissue of 1 human ED. These observations suggest that microorganisms may also be locally processed and disposed at the level of the ED. These results add further evidence as to the immunodefensive role of the human ES.
