Ear

Question 1

What are the three ossicles of the ear?

Answer 1

Malleus, stapes, incus

Question 2

What bone is the ear canal situated through?

Answer 2

Temporal

Question 3

What three bones articulate with the temporal anteriorly?

Answer 3

Zygomatic, mandible, sphenoid

Question 4

What bone articulates with the temporal posteriorly?

Answer 4

Occipital

Question 5

What bone articulates with the temporal superiorly and posteriorly?

Answer 5

Parietal

Question 6

What are the three regions of the temporal bone?

Answer 6

Squamous, petro-mastoid and tympanic`

Question 7

Which region of the temporal bone would you find the mandibular fossa?

Answer 7

Squamous

Question 8

What is the articulation between the temporal and mandible bones called?

Answer 8

Temporomandibular joint

Question 9

What features does the mastoid region of the temporal bone have, and what can this mean clinically?

Answer 9

Air cavities, can become infected (mastoiditis)

Question 10

Which part of the temporal bone includes the ossicles?

Answer 10

Petrous

Question 11

What shape is the petrous described as?

Answer 11

Pyramid

Question 12

What canal is visible on the external surface of the tympanic part of the temporal bone?

Answer 12

External auditory canal (external acoustic meatus)

Question 13

What view of the temporal bone would you see the carotid canal best?

Answer 13

Inferior view

Question 14

What vessel travels through the carotid canal?

Answer 14

Internal carotid artery

Question 15

Which is the largest of the ossicles?

Answer 15

Malleus

Question 16

Which is the smallest of the ossicles?

Answer 16

Stapes

Question 17

What regions of the malleus and incus articulate together?

Answer 17

Head of the malleus with the body of the incus

Question 18

What region of the malleus is visible during otoscopy?

Answer 18

Handle of the malleus

Question 19

What regions of the incus and the stapes articulate together?

Answer 19

Long limb of the incus with the head of the stapes

Question 20

Where does the stapes articulate with the oval window?

Answer 20

Base

Question 21

What marks the boundary with the middle and inner ear?

Answer 21

Oval window

Question 22

What marks the boundary between the external and middle ear?

Answer 22

Tympanic membrane

Question 23

Describe the general anatomy of synovial joints

Answer 23

Outer fibrous capsule, synovial membrane, synovial fluid filled cavity, hyaline cartilage lining bone surfaces.

Question 24

What autoimmune disease can affect synovial membranes, and how might this affect the ear?

Answer 24

Rheumatoid arthritis, cause conductive hearing loss

Question 25

What is the pinna and what is its other name?

Answer 25

The visible part of the external ear, auricle

Question 26

What is the very outer portion of the pinna called?

Answer 26

Helix

Question 27

What part of the pinna lies directly anterior to the external acoustic meatus?

Answer 27

Tragus

Question 28

The hollow centre of the pinna is called what?

Answer 28

Concha

Question 29

What is the function of the pinna?

Answer 29

Capture sound a funnel it into the external acoustic meatus.

Question 30

What three cranial nerves supply sensory innervation to the external ear?

Answer 30

Facial (VII), Vagus (X) and Trigeminal (V)

Question 31

What is the branch of the trigeminal that supplies the anterior external ear?

Answer 31

Auriculotemporal branch of the mandibular division.

Question 32

What two spinal nerves supply sensory innervation to the ear?

Answer 32

Lesser occipital nerve, greater auricular nerve

Question 33

What is the medical term for ear pain?

Answer 33

Otalgia

Question 34

What is a differential diagnosis to consider with otalgia of the external ear?

Answer 34

Cervical spinal nerve compression due to osteoarthritis

Question 35

What is contained within the dermal layer of the external acoustic meatus?

Answer 35

Ceruminous glands

Question 36

What is the umbo and what clinical relevance does it have?

Answer 36

The most inferior portion of the handle of malleus, during otoscopy, you should find the cone of light anterior-inferior to the umbo

Question 37

What marks the boundary between the pars tensa and the pars flaccida and how would you find them during otoscopy?

Answer 37

Anterior and posterior malleolar folds, found either side of the lateral process of the malleus. Superior to the folds is the pars flaccida, inferior is the pars tensa

Question 38

What type of epithelium lines the middle ear?

Answer 38

simple squamous epithelium

Question 39

Where does the Eustachian tube originate from?

Answer 39

Middle ear

Question 40

What is the thin plate of bone called at the roof of the middle ear cavity?

Answer 40

Tegmen tympani

Question 41

What is the other name for the Eustachian tube?

Answer 41

Pharyngotympanic tube

Question 42

What is the function of the pharyngotympanic tube?

Answer 42

Equalize pressure posterior and anterior to tympanic membrane

Question 43

Which muscle open the pharyngotympanic tube?

Answer 43

Stylopharyngeus, longitudinal muscle of the pharynx

Question 44

What part of the pharynx contains the opening for the Eustachian tube?

Answer 44

Nasopharynx

Question 45

Why are children at greater risk of developing acute otitis media?

Answer 45

Their Eustachian tube is narrower and more horizontal, hindering the clearance mechanisms of the tube

Question 46

Viruses can cause inflammation and impairment of the clearing mechanisms of the Eustachian tube, what can this lead to?

Answer 46

Infection with nasopharyngeal bacteria and purulent effusion.

Question 47

What is a grommet?

Answer 47

A tympanostomy tube inserted into the tympanic membrane to ventilate the middle ear and prevent fluid build up

Question 48

How does the pharyngotympanic tube clear the nasopharyngeal secretions?

Answer 48

Mucosal ciliary clearance and ventilation

Question 49

What is otitis media with effusion?

Answer 49

non-purulent effusion in the middle ear with no sign of acute inflammation

Question 50

What lymph tissue can affect the drainage of the pharyngotympanic tube?

Answer 50

Adenoids

Question 51

How does sound transfer within the external and middle ear?

Answer 51

Sound is funnelled by the pinna into the external acoustic meatus, it vibrates the tympanic membrane and that vibration travels across the ossicles to the oval window.

Question 52

Broadly, what structures cause sensorineural hearing loss?

Answer 52

Injury or pathology to the internal ear

Question 53

What cranial nerve in the internal ear carries the information of sound to the brain?

Answer 53

Vestibulocochlear (VIII)

Question 54

Which muscle attaches to the malleus to tense the tympanic membrane and what nerve supplies this muscle?

Answer 54

Tensor tympani, mandibular division of trigeminal (V)

Question 55

What muscle attaches to the stapes and prevents excessive oscillation and what nerve supplies this muscle?

Answer 55

Stapedius muscle, facial nerve (VII)

Question 56

What is hyperacusis?

Answer 56

Distress or intolerance to sounds that most people would find tolerable.

Question 57

What branch of the facial nerve innervates the salivary glands, what other signal does it carry?

Answer 57

Chorda tympani, taste from anterior 2/3 tongue

Question 58

What cranial nerve is the tympanic plexus associated with?

Answer 58

Glossopharyngeal (IX)

Question 59

Where do the sympathetic fibres join the tympanic plexus from?

Answer 59

Sympathetic chain in the cervical region

Question 60

What does the tympanic plexus innervate?

Answer 60

The mucous membrane of the middle ear

Question 61

Where is the tympanic plexus?

Answer 61

The medial wall of the middle ear, on the promontory, a bulge formed by the cochlea on the other side of the wall.

Question 62

What aperture lies on the posterior wall of the middle ear?

Answer 62

Aditus to mastoid antrum

Question 63

What rare but serious complications can result from otitis media?

Answer 63

Mastoiditis, brain abscess, meningitis