The temporal bone in the preauricular pit, cervical fistula, hearing loss syndrome

Histological study of the temporal bones of an infant with the preauricular pit, cervical fistula, hearing loss syndrome revealed abnormalities in the middle ear, the vestibular system, and the cochlea. There is a gross bilateral abnormality in the form and relationship of the middle ear spaces, the middle cranial fossa and the inner ear. The horizontal canal lacks ampulla and crista; the posterior canal terminates a short distance from the ampulla. The cochlear cavity is approximately four fifths of normal size. The modiolus of the cochlea shows minor abnormalities. Spiral ganglion cells and peripheral nerve fibers are present in all coils, but are below normal in population in the basal and apical coils. The stria vascularis is slightly deformed and partly atrophic in the upper apical coil. An occasional concretion is present in the base of the stria vascularis in the middle and apical coils.