Abstract
The cochlear blood flow was studied in guinea pigs with a laser Doppler flowmeter (Laserflo, TSI Co., U. S. A.). The present study revealed that the signals obtained by a probe applied on the bony wall of the cochlea were stable and sensitive enough to detect minute changes of the blood flow in the lateral wall of the cochlea. However, the signals were readily influenced by external vibrations or by oozing of blood around the tip of the probe, but neither ambient light nor respiratory movement of a respirator affected the measurement. Inhalation of CO2 gas caused simultaneous increase of both blood pressure and cochlear blood flow, the magnitude of which reaching 200%. Based on our pilot study, the laser Doppler flowmeter was deemed as a powerful tool for the study of the microcirculation in the cochlea.
