[Ultrastructural changes of the stria vaseularis and the spiral ligament in chronic uremic rats (author's transl)].

Looking for the morphological correlation of uremic inner ear damage a 5/6 resection of kidney parenchyma in rats was performed. A biochemically proven chronic uremia was so created. The ultrastructural examination of the stria vascularis showed a marked swelling of the intermediate cells, compressing occasionally stria vessels. The stria was enlarged and the mitochondria of the dark and light cells swollen. In the spiral ligament connective tissue cells were moderately swollen and blood vessels partially obstructed by swelling of the endothelium. These changes are proved not to be dependent on the urea. The pathophysiological significance for uremic inner ear damage can only be determined after further examination of cochlear tissue.