Laser Doppler measurements of cochlear blood flow.

Blood flow to the inner ear was studied with a laser Doppler system in the acute guinea pig. Flow was measured through the lateral wall of the basal turn. Changes in simultaneous measures of cochlear and skin flow with rebreathing, epinephrine, phentolamine and terminal bleeding were studied. Cochlear blood flow followed skin blood flow in most cases; where it did not, the change was in an expected direction. The laser Doppler flowmeter appears to provide a direct, dynamic and linear measure of inner ear blood flow.