抄録
The paravestibular canaliculus (PVC) was observed on serial sections of the temporal bones from otosclerotic patients operated with fenestration or stapes surgery. Materials consisted of 23 specimens (13 cases). In all specimens, endolymphatic duct and sac were observed to be normally developed with no pathological findings. The PVC was found in 14 of them (60.9%). The course of the PVC was traced from the proximal to the distal area corresponding to the portions of the vestibular aqueduct (VA) on 12 specimens. In seven of them, merging points of the PVC into the VA were the distal portion of the endolymphatic sac, containing veins within it. Remaining five appeared to merge into the same portions of the sac. The contents of the PVC was vein in eight, and three of them had several veins. No artery was found in all. The beginning of the PVC in the vestibular area could be seen in seven, and all of them were small vascular channels around the vestibule in otic capsule, lateral to and near the orifice of the VA containing small veins. The PVC must be kept in mind to have an important role to vascular drainage from the vestibule.
