Objective To observe the anatomical structure of rabbit's middle ear under ear endoscope and explore the feasibility of the rabbit as endoscopic anatomical training model of middle ear, and then provide anatomic base for other experimental research on middle ear of rabbits. Methods Five (10 ears) New Zealand rabbits were killed immediately after anaesthesia, the structures of tympanic membrane and tympanic cavity were observed by endoscopic transcanal approach, and ossicles, epitympanum, mesotympanum, hypotympanum and facial nerve were distinguished. Results Compared with human, auditory ossicles were composed of malleus-incus complex and stapes, and part of the lateral epitympanic wall was replaced by the tympanic membrane. Rabbit’s bullae was similar to the mesotympanum and hypotympanum of human, including the eustachian tube, facial nerve, promontory, vestibular window, cochlear window and tympanic nerve. The mastoid process was a diploic bone, overlying the caudolateral aspect of the tympanic bulla. In the tympanum, facial nerve run horizontally below the epitympanum, passed through the pyramidal eminence, and then run vertically along the posterior wall of bullae, and left the auditory vesicle through stylomastoid foramen. Conclusions The middle ear structures of New Zealand rabbits are similar to that of human, which can be used as the anatomical model for the junior otologists to practice endoscopic middle ear operation, or as a new educational model for the three-dimensional anatomical structure of the ear.
Key words
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Endoscopy /
Rabbit /
Middle ear anatomy /
Tympanic bulla /
Ossicles
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