An animal model of acute otitis media and the histopathological assessment of a cochlear implant in the cat

Abstract

A reliable experimental model of acute otitis media is required to study the spread of middle ear infection to the inner ear in the case of implanted cochleae. Surprisingly for a disease with such a high incidence there have been relatively few experimental studies of otitis media. Some research workers have employed techniques for plugging the Eustachian tube to investigate secretory otitis media.Giabink et al. (1980) have induced pneumococcal otitis media in chinchillas by direct inoculation of bacterial suspensions into the middle ear, and by nasal inoculation followed by a negative pressure applied to the middle ear through an opening in the bulla. Paparella et al. (1980) have examined the round window membrane as it is a likely pathway for the spread of infection from the middle to inner ear. Kawabata and Paparella (1971) have shown details of the three layers of this membrane, and Paparella et al. (1980) have demonstrated the semi-permeable nature of the membrane, and its permeability to tritiated albumin and staphylococcal exotoxin.