Anatomy of the para-vestibular canaliculus

A histologic study of the para-vestibular canaliculus (PVC), its contents, and its relationship to the vestibular aqueduct (VA), is presented. 20 normal human temporal bones were fixed in 10% formalin solution, embedded in celloidin, and sectioned horizontally at intervals of 20 micrometers. Every tenth section was stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and studied under a light microscope. Three significant observations were made. First, in 80% of the specimens, two rather than one PVC were found in the area of the vestibular orifice of the VA. Second, in 70% of the specimens, the PVC was found to merge with the VA rather than to enter the posterior cranial fossa (PCF) separately. Third, in all the specimens examined, a vein was seen to traverse the entire length of the PVC. However, in 17 specimens, no artery could be identified within the PVC. In the 13 (65%) specimens in which arteries could be identified in the PVC, the arteries extended only half the length of the PVC, from the PCF to the VA. In no specimen examined could arteries be seen extending the full length of the PVC from the PCF to the vestibule.