Evidence for sound perception with the labyrinth.

A report is presented of experiments on guinea pigs and pigeons concerning behavioural and electrophysiological responses of the labyrinth to sound. In the guinea pigs the cochlea was destroyed on both sides by CO2 laser radiation and fenestration of the lateral semicircular canal was done. In the pigeons the cochlea was removed before fenestration. On account of the results obtained, fenestration of the lateral canal in patients with bilateral total cochlear loss can be considered as an alternative to monopolar cochlear implants.