The Blood Supply of the Inner Ear of Mammals

Abstract

The following chapter deals with the vascular anatomy of the cochlea. The larger supplying vessels to the inner ear are too well known to be described here. Instead, the present chapter deals with the vascular supply to the modiolus and the capillary areas in the spiral lamina, in the external wall, and at the basal end of the cochlea. The nomenclature adopted on the cochlear vessels has partly been changed from those that have been used in reports by earlier authors; some comments are given on the new names. Comparison will be made between the findings for the human and for the guinea pig cochlea. Differences in the vascular pattern at the base and at the apex will be pointed out. The distribution of the supplying and draining vessels of different capillary areas will be presented. Some remarks will be made on vascular anastomoses and vascular density in the cochlea.