顔面神経東内における脈管外通液路 (第2報)

脳神経を介した通液路について

抄録

Spread of a tracer from the facial nerve to other cranial nerves was examined in eight rabbits. Sodium fluorescein solution was injected into the facial nerve trunk as tracer at the stylomastoid foramen and then localized by fluorescence microscopy. In the facial nerve, the fluorescence was consistently observed through the geniculate ganglion, but it was not observed in the proximal nerve root. The vestibular, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal ganglia also showed fluorescence in seven, two and two animals respectively. In these ganglia, fluorescence was seen in ganglion cells and intercellular connective tissue only on the injection side.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome consists of facial nerve paralysis and vestibulocochlear symptoms associated with vesicular eruption of the auricle and external auditory canal, and other cranial nerves such as trigeminal, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves are occasionally involved. The mechanism of the spread of inflammation to these cranical nerves has not been sufficiently clarified. Although the spread of the tracer into the spiral ganglion could not recognized, the fluid pathway from the facial nerve to these cranial ganglia seems to be associated with a neural spread of infections.