Fistulae in the membranous labyrinth.

Fistulization at various parts of the membranous labyrinth has been currently in use as one of the treatments for the symptoms of Meniere's disease. The present report concerns our experience with membranous fistulae in experimental animal ears with and without manifestation of endolymphatic hydrops. The materials presented are mostly new; however, our previous data are also incorporated in order to bring this issue into better perspective. The first part describes the nonproduction aspect of endolymphatic hydrops in the rat, chinchilla, and squirrel monkey after obliteration of the endolymphatic duct in relation to the occurrence of spontaneous fistulae. The second part describes surgical fistulization of the vestibular membranous labyrinth and cochlear duct in order to prevent or control development of endolymphatic hydrops in the guinea pig, the species in which hydrops can be produced consistently. These results are tabulated and analyzed in terms of the pathological consequences that can be expected in performing fistulization of the membranous labyrinths in animals as well as in humans.