Bachor E, Byahatti S, Karmody C S
Department of Otolaryngology, Tufts University School of Medicine and the New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 20111, USA.
Am J Otol. 1999 Sep;20(5):612-20.
To study the histoanatomy and pattern of growth of the cochlear aqueduct in children of different ages.
Since Du Verney described the cochlear aqueduct in 1684, its form, pattern of growth, patency, and function have been controversial. As most of the previous studies of the aqueduct were performed on adults, none had looked at its pattern of growth from the neonate to 9 years of age. In addition, previous histologic studies had suggested an age-dependent patency, but recent investigations had not statistically correlated patency with age.
Histologic sections of 137 temporal bones from 79 infants and children were studied by light microscopy. From this group, we selected 32 temporal bones from 18 infants, newborn to 9 years (average age 9.1 months, median 0.5 months), in whom the entire length of the cochlear aqueduct was visible on one histologic section. We measured the width of the orifices at the scala tympani (external aperture) and the subarachnoid space (internal aperture) and the length of the aqueduct, and noted the contents of the lumen.
The measurements of the cochlear aqueduct were: length 4.19 mm (range 1.7-10.7 mm), width of the external aperture 435 microm (range 225-869 microm), width of the internal aperture 1,323 microm (range 699-2344 microm), mean diameter of the narrowest part (isthmus) 138 microm (range 68-244 microm), intraluminal mononucleated cells 6%, and erythrocytes 15%.
Our findings demonstrate that, in the newborn, the cochlear aqueduct is short and patent. After birth, the duct lengthens significantly primarily by growth of the medial periosteal portion. There was no statistically significant change in the diameter of the external and internal apertures and the isthmus with age. With one exception, the cochlear aqueduct was always present and patent.
研究不同年龄段儿童蜗水管的组织解剖结构及生长模式。
自1684年迪韦尔内描述蜗水管以来，其形态、生长模式、通畅性及功能一直存在争议。由于此前大多数关于蜗水管的研究是在成人身上进行的，尚无研究观察过从新生儿到9岁儿童的生长模式。此外，以往的组织学研究提示通畅性与年龄有关，但近期研究并未对通畅性与年龄进行统计学关联分析。
对79例婴幼儿及儿童的137块颞骨组织切片进行光学显微镜检查。从该组中，我们选取了18例新生儿至9岁婴幼儿（平均年龄9.1个月，中位数0.5个月）的32块颞骨，这些颞骨在一张组织切片上可完整观察到蜗水管全长。我们测量了鼓阶开口（外口）和蛛网膜下腔开口（内口）的宽度以及蜗水管的长度，并记录管腔内的内容物。
蜗水管测量结果为：长度4.19毫米（范围1.7 - 10.7毫米），外口宽度435微米（范围225 - 869微米），内口宽度1323微米（范围699 - 2344微米），最窄处（峡部）平均直径138微米（范围68 - 244微米），管腔内单核细胞占6%，红细胞占15%。
我们的研究结果表明，新生儿的蜗水管短且通畅。出生后，蜗水管主要通过内侧骨膜部分的生长而显著延长。外口、内口及峡部的直径随年龄增长无统计学显著变化。除1例例外，蜗水管始终存在且通畅。
