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Detection of human utricular otoconia degeneration in vital specimen and implications for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

  • Otology
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Abstract

Otoconia are assumed to be involved in inner ear disorders such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Up to now, the distinct structure and morphology of intact and degenerate human utricular otoconia has been only poorly investigated on vital specimen. In this study, human otoconia were obtained from the utricle in five patients undergoing translabyrinthine vestibular schwannoma surgery. Specimens were examined by environmental scanning electron microscopy. Intact and degenerate otoconia as well as fracture particles of otoconia and bone were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Intact otoconia reveal a uniform size showing characteristic symmetry properties. Degenerative changes can be observed at several stages with gradual minor and major changes in their morphology including fragment formation. EDX analyses reveal the characteristic chemical composition also for otoconia remnants. XRD shows that intact and degenerate otoconia as well as remnants consist of the calcite modification. In conclusion, electron microscopy serves as a standard method for morphological investigations of otoconia. Human utricular otoconia show a uniform outer morphology corresponding to a calcite-based nanocomposite. Morphological changes provide further evidence for degeneration of utricular otoconia in humans, which might be a preconditioning factor causing BPPV. In case of uncertain origin, particles can be clearly assigned to otoconial origin using EDX and XRD analyses.

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The authors report no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medicine Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany

    Leif Erik Walther & Angela Wenzel

  2. Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Nöthnitzer Straße 40, 01187, Dresden, Germany

    Jana Buder & Rüdiger Kniep

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helios Clinic Berlin-Buch, Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    Marc Boris Bloching & Alexander Blödow

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  1. Leif Erik Walther
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  2. Angela Wenzel
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  3. Jana Buder
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  4. Marc Boris Bloching
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  5. Rüdiger Kniep
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  6. Alexander Blödow
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Correspondence to Leif Erik Walther.

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Walther, L.E., Wenzel, A., Buder, J. et al. Detection of human utricular otoconia degeneration in vital specimen and implications for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 271, 3133–3138 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2784-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-013-2784-6

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