7. middle and inner ear (workbook)

Question 1

what is the middle ear also known as?

Answer 1

tympanic cavity

Question 2

what does the middle ear contain?

Answer 2

3 ossicles that transmit vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear in the petrous temporal bone

Question 3

anteriorly, what does the middle ear communicate with?

Answer 3

nasopharynx via the pharyngotympanic (eustachian) tube

Question 4

what is the nasopharynx part of?

Answer 4

upper respiratory tract - therefore potential route for infection to spread into middle ear

Question 5

posteriorly, what does the middle ear communicate with?

Answer 5

mastoid air cells

Question 6

why is it important that the middle ear communicates with pharyngotympanic tube (eustachian)?

Answer 6

allows equalisation of air pressure between the middle ear and the atmosphere

Question 7

why is equalisation of air pressure between the middle ear and the atmosphere important?

Answer 7

allow for transfer of sound energy to the internal ear

Question 8

what is the normal state of the pharyngotympanic (eustachian) tube?

Answer 8

usually closed, being intermittently opened by the pull of attached palate muscles when swallowing

Question 9

what lies in the upper part of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 9

the ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes)

Question 10

what is attached to the tympanic membrane from the middle ear?

Answer 10

handle of malleus

Question 11

what does the body of malleus articulate with?

Answer 11

incus

Question 12

what does the incus articulate with?

Answer 12

stapes

Question 13

what is the articulation between ossicles?

Answer 13

synovial joint

serve to relay vibrations encountered by the tympanic membrane to the inner ear

Question 14

what does the stapes articulate with?

Answer 14

bony labyrinth of the internal ear at the OVAL WINDOW

Question 15

what is an important anatomical relation of the middle ear?

Answer 15

the facial nerve

Question 16

where does the facial nerve lie? (within the middle ear)

Answer 16

within the facial canal

Question 17

what separates the facial nerve from the middle ear cavity?

Answer 17

thin bony partition

Question 18

what can middle ear infection lead to?

Answer 18

lesion of the facial nerve

Question 19

what is the inner ear also known as?

Answer 19

the labyrinth

Question 20

what does the labyrinth (inner ear) consist of?

Answer 20

a series of channels hollowed out of the petrous temporal bone (bony labyrinth) surrounding the membranous labyrinth

Question 21

what does the membranous labyrinth contain?

Answer 21

fluid called endolymph

Question 22

what does the membranous labyrinth contain?

Answer 22

fluid called endolymph

Question 23

what separates the bony and membranous labyrinth?

Answer 23

perilymph fluid

Question 24

what does the cochlea contain?

Answer 24

cochlea duct - hearing

Question 25

what does the cochlea contain?

Answer 25

cochlea duct - hearing

Question 26

what do the semicircular canals communicate with?

Answer 26

the vestibule (balance) and are perpendicular to each other

Question 27

what does the cochlear duct accommodate?

Answer 27

the spiral organ of Corti

Question 28

what does the spiral organ of Corti contain?

Answer 28

the receptors of the auditory apparatus (hearing)

Question 29

what do the utricle and saccule contain?

Answer 29

receptors that respond to ROTATIONAL acceleration and the static pull of GRAVITY

Question 30

what do the utricle and saccule contain?

Answer 30

receptors that respond to rotational acceleration and the static pull of gravity

Question 31

what disease can affect the vestibular and cochlear components of the inner ear?

Answer 31

diseases e.g. Meniere’s disease

Question 32

what are symptoms of Meniere’s disease?

Answer 32

vertigo (room spinning)
hearing loss,
tinnitus (dizziness),
feeling of pressure / fullness in the ear