Behaviour of middle ear cleft mucosa during inflammation: histo- morphometric study.

Conclusion: This histo-morphometric study shows a significant reduction in the distance between the blood vessel's centre and the basal membrane of the middle ear cleft mucosa during inflammatory process. This could suggest that gaseous exchange is faster and more abundant in inflamed mucosa. The distance is significantly shorter in the postero-superior compartment of the middle ear cleft, possibly favouring a specific gas exchange function.

Objectives: The aim was to try to understand the morphologic changes that occur when the middle ear cleft mucosa suffers from chronic inflammation.

Materials And Methods: Light microscopic computerized morphometry was used to measure the distance between the centre of the blood vessels and the basement membrane of the middle ear cleft mucosa.

Results: In inflammation, the distance from blood vessel to mucosa is reduced in all five regions of the middle ear cleft. This distance is statistically the shortest in the postero-superior compartment of the middle ear cleft.