title: Computing simulated endolymphatic flow thermodynamics during the caloric test using normal and hydropic duct models.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained simulations support the underlying hypothesis that the hydrostatic caloric drive is dissipated by local convective flow in a hydropic duct.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop a computerized model to simulate and predict the internal fluid thermodynamic behavior within both normal and hydropic horizontal ducts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a computational fluid dynamics software to simulate the effects of cooling and warming of two geometrical models representing normal and hydropic ducts of one semicircular horizontal canal during 120 s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Temperature maps, vorticity, and velocity fields were successfully obtained to characterize the endolymphatic flow during the caloric test in the developed models. In the normal semicircular canal, a well-defined endolymphatic linear flow was obtained, this flow has an opposite direction depending only on the cooling or warming condition of the simulation. For the hydropic model a non-effective endolymphatic flow was predicted; in this model the velocity and vorticity fields show a non-linear flow, with some vortices formed inside the hydropic duct.
authors.affiliation: a Otolaryngology Unit Orlgipuzkoa , Clínica Quirón , San Sebastián , Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rey-Martinez
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Clinical Neurosciences , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Camperdown , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McGarvie
authors.affiliation: c Department of Otolaryngology , Clínica Universidad De Navarra , Pamplona , Spain.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pérez-Fernández
mesh_terms: D002150:Caloric Tests; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004710:Endolymph / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D013816:Thermodynamics
keywords: Caloric test; Meniere; computational fluid dynamics; endolymph; hydrops; simulation; thermodynamics; turbulence flow; vortices