The Microvascular Structure of the Middle Ear in Otitis Media

Abstract

We observed the microvascular structure of the middle ear mucosa in normal and otitis media by SEM.
(1) Normal middle ear mucosa; The vascular net of the normal middle ear around the annulus indicated two layers. The blood vessels of the outer layer was narrower and less anastomosis than that of the inner layer. Otherwise the inner layer had netted blood vessels.
(2) Otitis media by staphylococcus aureus; Advance of inflammation caused the dilatation, hyperplasia or abnormal arrangements of the blood vessels in middle ear mucosa around the annulus. But the net of cochlear wall had much more changes than the other portion.
It was strongly suggested that changes of netted blood vessels in otitis media appeared most early and highly in the lower portion of the cochlear wall.