Salicylate Ototoxicity: A Human Temporal Bone Report

Abstract

SALICYLATE ototoxicity is considered a transient phenomenon; this has been known clinically 1-3 as well as being shown experimentally. 3,4 In the early literature, histologic (morphologic) evidence of the site of toxicity was confusing. Wittmaack 5 in 1903 described the disappearance of Nissl bodies and changes in the nuclei of the spiral ganglion cells after quinine administration, and assumed salicylate effect would be similar. In 1913, Lindt 6 was unable to confirm these findings. In 1938, Mosher 7 described hemorrhage in the cochlea after quinine and salicylate toxicity in guinea pigs as seen in previous quinine studies by Kirchner 8 in 1883, but he attributed these hemorrhages to temporal bone removal technique. In his monograph, Falbe-Hansen 9 found Reissner's membrane depressed into the cochlear duct more often after salicylates or quinine than in untreated controls, especially when perfused with Wittmaack's fixatives. He interpreted this as evidence of hypotonic changes. From