Morphometric Study of the Vestibular Aqueduct in Patients With Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether there are significant differences in the morphologic features of the enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) and its anatomic relationships with adjacent structures between EVA patients with and without other inner ear malformations.

METHODS: The morphology of vestibular aqueduct, volume of vestibule, and anatomic location of facial nerve (FN) were compared among 3 groups. Group A, 18 control subjects; group B, 32 EVA patients without other inner ear malformations; group C, 14 EVA patients with other inner ear malformations.

RESULTS: The isthmus of the aqueduct and vestibular volume in group C were larger than those in group B (P < 0.05). Positive correlations were identified between the length of the aqueduct and the vestibular volume in groups B and C. The vertical FN segment in group C located more anteriorly than that in groups A and B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with EVA patients without other inner ear malformations, the aqueduct, and vestibule in EVA patients with other inner ear malformations are larger, the vertical FN segment locates more anteriorly.