Comparative Study of a Membranous Labyrinth and Osseous Labyrinth Model

Abstract

A 1.5-time-scale mockup of the head with a built-in 10-time-scale mockup of the osseous semicircular canals was made based on the CT image of the healthy human temporal bone. When we use this model for the original canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) reported by Epley, the floating otoliths stray into the anterior semicircular canal in the 3rd step of the CRP. Herein, we developed a membranous semicircular model that mimics the human membranous labyrinth, in order and investigated the position of the floating otoliths in the 3rd step of the CRP. Fewer otoliths strayed into the anterior semicircular canal in the third step of the CRP in our new membranous model than in the old osseous model. One reason for this may be that the angles formed by the anterior and posterior semicircular canals differ between the two models.