Enlarged vestibular aqueduct

Large vestibular aqueduct is a structural deformity of the inner ear. Enlargement of this duct is one of the most common inner ear deformities and is commonly associated with hearing loss during childhood. The term was first discovered in 1791 by Mondini when he was completing a temporal bone dissection. It was then defined by Valvassori and Clemis as a vestibular aqueduct that is greater than or equal to 2.0 mm at the operculum and/or greater than or equal to 1.0 mm at the midpoint. Some use the term enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome, but this is felt by others to be erroneous as it is a clinical finding which can occur in several syndromes.