4- Ear Flashcards
Ear Dual functions;
Maintain the balance of the body (vestibular) Perceives sound (Auditory)
Ear 3 divisions
3 divisions:
External
Middle
Internal
External ear:
The most superficial portion of the ear, the external ear includes the auricle, the external acoustic meatus, and the tympanic membrane
Helps to gather sound and direct it to the tympanic membrane
Tympanic cavity –
middle ear
air space within temporal bone (~ 10 x 10 x 6 mm)
Serves as relay center for sound waves
2 continuous regions
Tympanic cavity proper =
middle ear
medial to tympanic membrane
MIddle ear
Epitympanic recess* =
superior to tympanic membrane
Auditory tube & Aditus
Superiorly the epitympanic recess is continuous with the aditus of the mastoid antrum
Middle Ear Cavity: relationships: Anteriorly – leads to
auditory (Eustachian) tube
continues to nasopharynx
Middle Ear Cavity: relationships: Posteriorly – leads to
aditus ad antrum
Middle Ear Cavity: relationships: Epitympanic recess =
superior to tympanic membrane
Middle Ear Cavity: relationships: Serves as relay center for
sound waves between external & internal ear
Auditory tube
Anterior 2/3: cartilaginous & Posterior 1/3: bony (osseous)
~36 mm long
Cartilaginous & bony portions meet at narrow isthmus
Bony portion of auditory tube opens
at base of skull
Auditory tube
Only
superior & Medial walls cartilaginous
Inferior & Lateral walls membranous
Middle Ear: Jugular wall (floor): Formed by thin plate of
tympanic portion of the temporal bone
Middle Ear: Jugular wall (floor): Separates the middle ear cavity from
the jugular fossa
Middle Ear: Jugular wall (floor): Fossa contains the
superior jugular bulb of the IJV
Promontory =
protuberance facing tympanic membrane
Fenestra vestibuli =
oval window – receives base of stapes
Fenestra Cochlea =
round window – membrane covered, inferior to oval
Middle ear tympanic cavity
Facial canal prominence
Lateral semicircular canal prominence
Tendon of the tensor tympani m.
Middle Ear: Carotid wall (Ant.): Formed by
thin plate of tympanic portion of the temporal bone
Middle Ear: Carotid wall (Ant.): Separates the middle ear cavity from the
carotid canal
Middle Ear: Carotid wall (Ant.): 2 openings present in the
superior aspect
Auditory tube
Semicanal for tensor tympani m.