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. 2018 Oct;39(9):1210-1214.
doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001942.

Otopathology in the United States: History, Current Situation, and Future Perspectives

Rafael da Costa Monsanto  1   2 , Henrique Furlan Pauna  1   3 , Michael M Paparella  1   4 , Sebahattin Cureoglu  1
Affiliations

Otopathology in the United States: History, Current Situation, and Future Perspectives

Rafael da Costa Monsanto et al. Otol Neurotol. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

: Human temporal bone studies have documented the pathophysiologic basis of many pathologic conditions and diseases affecting the ear, contributing to the development of specific clinical knowledge and pathology-oriented treatments. Researchers dedicated to the study of anatomy and histology of the temporal bone emanated from Europe to the United States during the first part of the 20th Century. The first otopathology laboratory was founded in the United States in 1924, at Johns Hopkins University; over time, the otopathology laboratories-considered by some authors as "gold mines" for studying ear diseases-became numerous and very prolific. However, today, only three of the temporal bone laboratories are still running and producing scientific knowledge to the Otology/Neurotology field: the ones at Harvard Medical School, University of Minnesota, and University of California. Molecular biologic assay techniques and new microscopy and computer equipment broadened the possibilities for temporal bone studies; however, the current funding for those laboratories are insufficient to cover the costs for processing and studying human temporal bones. The main objective of this study is to briefly describe the history, current situation, and future perspectives of the otopathology laboratories in the United States.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A: A temporal bone specimen (epitympanic view) embedded in celloidin, ready for horizontal sectioning. B: A representative horizontal section of a human temporal bone, stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (x1).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Photographs of (A) the archived human temporal bone collection at the University of Minnesota and (B) archived temporal bone slides
Figure 3
Figure 3
Number of active Human Temporal Bone Laboratories in the United States over the decades
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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