Are vestibular sensory cells preserved after destruction of Scarpa's ganglion? A study based on metastatic tumors of temporal bone.
OBJECTIVE
The contribution of nerve fibers to the maintenance of vestibular sensory cells is a controversial issue in previous studies using animals and has not yet been studied in humans. The authors investigated this issue by observing vestibular end organs in the temporal bone of three patients in whom the internal auditory canal was infiltrated with tumor cells, and Scarpa's ganglion cells showed complete degeneration.


METHODS
Retrospective case review.


METHODS
University Hospital, Department of Otolaryngology.


METHODS
Three patients with malignant metastatic temporal bone tumors.


METHODS
We investigated the preservative state of vestibular sensory hair cells with the Scalpa's ganglion was destructed.


METHODS
Maintenances of vestibular sensory hair cells.


RESULTS
We found that sensory cells were intact despite the severe destruction of Scarpa's ganglion cells in two of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that human vestibular sensory cells can be maintained for an indefinite period after denervation.
Suzukawa
Keigo
K
Department of Otolaryngology, Hitachi General Hospital, Hitachi, Japan. suzukawa-tky@umin.ac.jp
Yamasoba
Tatsuya
T
Tsuzuku
Toshihiro
T
Kaga
Kimitaka
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D003638:Deafness / Q000473:pathology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000473:pathology; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000473:pathology; D018069:Hair Cells, Vestibular / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology*; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D000160:Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases / Q000473:pathology*