Measurement of pressure and displacement of the membranous labyrinth in endolymphatic hydrops by the tensile test.

We measured the mechanical characteristics, particularly the strength of various regions of the membranous labyrinth by the penetration test with a specially designed machine. A load-displacement curve was drawn by the tensile test for the Reissner's and basement membranes. Additionally, a stress-strain curve was drawn. The modulus of elasticity was measured showing a straight line in the stress-strain curve: 1.5 x 10(2) mN/mm2 for Reissner's membrane and 9.3 x 10(2)-1.3 x 10(3) mN/mm2 for the basement membrane. Furthermore, the endolymphatic pressure was calculated at the point in time when the maximum strain as the limit of elasticity was 0.2. It was 81 Pa. The displacement of Reissner's membrane was 0.2 mm when the initial tension was taken as 0 in the formula, and that of the basement membrane was 3 to 37 microns when the initial tension was 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3.