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Antonio Maria Valsalva

Italian anatomist

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Antonio Maria Valsalva was an Italian anatomist who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He is known for his contributions to the study of the ear. Valsalva assisted in preparing De Aure Humana (Anatomy and Diseases of the Ear), and he also described the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which are responsible for maintaining body equilibrium.123

The Valsalva maneuver, a forceful attempt at expiration when the airway is closed, is named after him. This maneuver is often used to adjust middle ear pressure.1

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