A Revised Surgical Approach to Induce Endolymphatic Hydrops in the Guinea Pig

Endolymphatic hydrops is an enlargement of scala media that is most often associated with Meniere's disease, though the pathophysiologic mechanism(s) remain unclear. In order to adequately study the attributes of endolymphatic hydrops, such as the origins of low-frequency hearing loss, a reliable model is needed. The guinea pig is a good model because it hears in the low-frequency regions that are putatively affected by endolymphatic hydrops. Previous research has demonstrated that endolymphatic hydrops can be induced surgically via intradural or extradural approaches that involve drilling on the endolymphatic duct and sac. However, whether it was possible to create an endolymphatic hydrops model using an extradural approach that avoided dangerous drilling on the endolymphatic duct and sac was unknown. The objective of this study was to demonstrate a revised extradural approach to induce experimental endolymphatic hydrops at 30 days post-operatively by obliterating the endolymphatic sac and injuring the endolymphatic duct with a fine pick. The sample size consisted of seven guinea pigs. Functional measurements of hearing were made and temporal bones were subsequently harvested for histologic analysis. The approach had a success rate of 86% in achieving endolymphatic hydrops. The risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak was minimal. No perioperative deaths or injuries to the posterior semicircular canal occurred in the sample. The presented method demonstrates a safe and reliable way to induce endolymphatic hydrops at a relatively quick time point of 30 days. The clinical implications are that the presented method provides a reliable model to further explore the origins of low-frequency hearing loss that can be associated endolymphatic hydrops.