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Changes in auditory ossicles in rheumatoid arthritis: scanning electron microscopic study

  • Otology
  • Published:
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to define the existence of surface changes on auditory ossicles caused by rheumatoid arthritis. The study comprised of nine pairs of auditory ossicles (mallei and incudes) from autopsy of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and five pairs of ossicles from persons without RA, taken during autopsies. The specimens were studied with JEOL JSM 5300 type scanning electron microscope. Surface changes of auditory ossicles were defined, affected areas were calculated, and expressed in percentage of total surface. Changes in auditory ossicles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are significantly higher than in control ossicles, both on ossicular surface and articulations. Increased lysis of incudes, especially in the region of long propagation, corresponds to vascular damage. Articular degeneration is also present, indicating specific rheumatoid alteration. Both changes are statistically more intense in cases with longer duration of disease. In conclusion, rheumatoid arthritis reduces vascularity of auditory ossicles and causes degeneration of articular surfaces.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology, University Clinical Center Nis, Serbia Medical Faculty Nis, Bul. Z. Djindjica 52, 18000, Nis, Serbia

    Dusan Milisavljevic, Milan Stankovic & Misko Zivic

  2. Institute for Radiology, University Clinical Center Nis, Serbia Medical Faculty Nis, Nis, Serbia

    Zoran Radovanović

  3. Institute for Histology, University Clinical Center Nis, Serbia Medical Faculty Nis, Nis, Serbia

    Petar Stankovic

Authors
  1. Dusan Milisavljevic
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  2. Milan Stankovic
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  3. Misko Zivic
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  4. Zoran Radovanović
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  5. Petar Stankovic
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Correspondence to Dusan Milisavljevic.

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Milisavljevic, D., Stankovic, M., Zivic, M. et al. Changes in auditory ossicles in rheumatoid arthritis: scanning electron microscopic study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 267, 363–366 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-1072-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-1072-y

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