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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Discovering Middle Ear Anatomy by Transcanal Endoscopic Ear Surgery: A Dissection Manual
Published on: January 11, 2018
Middle ear structure and transcanal approach appropriate for middle ear surgery in rabbits
Ming Guan1,2, Jie Zhang3, Yuezhi Jia1,2
1Department of Otolaryngology, The Affiliated Hangzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China.
Abstract:
The current study aimed to investigate the middle ear structure and surgical approach appropriate for middle ear surgery in rabbits. A total of eight healthy New Zealand rabbits (16 ears) were dissected under a surgical microscope. The dimensions of the auditory canal and the middle ear were measured. In the present study, the transcanal surgical approach to the middle ear in rabbits was performed without complications, the anatomical landmarks in the auricle and the external auditory canal were apparent, no large vessels were present in the surgical zone and the bleeding was minor. Furthermore, the surgical procedure did not require removal of large bone sections of the external auditory canal. Additionally, the constitution of the ossicular chain, the leverage ratio of the ossicular chain and the constitution of ligaments and muscles in rabbits were similar to humans. Otherwise, the facial nerve canal in rabbits was more prominent compared with humans and the mobility of pars flaccida in rabbits was more noticeable compared with humans. The results of the current study indicate that the transcanal surgical approach was suitable to study the middle ear in rabbits. Furthermore, the rabbit middle ear may be used as a model for ossicular surgery and facial nerve research.
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