Ears

Question 1

What is the fancy word for the outer fleshy/cartilaginous part of the ear?

Answer 1

The pinna/auricle.

Question 2

The walls of the lateral third of the external acoustic meatus are made of _______ while the medial 2/3 is made of _______.

Answer 2

lateral third: cartilage

medial 2/3: bone

Question 3

What are the glands called that make ear wax?

Answer 3

Ceruminous glands

Question 4

What is the tip of the malleus called when visualized through an otoscope?

Answer 4

The umbo

Question 5

What makes up the roof of the middle ear aka tympanic cavity? What is located directly above it?

Answer 5

Tegmen tympani (a bone). Middle cranial fossa is located directly above the tympanic cavity.

Question 6

What structures are found on the anterior wall of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 6

The canal for the tensor tympani muscle and the eustachian tube/pharyngotympanic tube

Question 7

What structures are found on the lateral wall of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 7

Incus, malleus, chorda tympani, tympanic membrane

Question 8

What structures are found on the posterior wall of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 8

Origin of the stapedius muscle, opening to the mastoid air cells

Question 9

What structures are found on the medial wall of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 9

Prominence of the lateral semicircular canal

Round window

Oval window (closed by the stapes)

Promontory

Tympanic branch of glossopharyngeal nerve –> glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

Question 10

What muscles attach to the auditory ossicles and what is their innervation? What is their function?

Answer 10

Tensor tympani is innervated by mandibular nerve (V3)

Stapedius is innervated by facial nerve (VII)

When they contract they reduce the movement of the ossicles to protect against loud noise.

Question 11

What is above the tympanic cavity?

Answer 11

Middle cranial fossa

Question 12

What major structure is found below the floor of the tympanic cavity?

Answer 12

Internal jugular vein

Question 13

Name the three auditory ossicles.

Answer 13

Malleus, incus, stapes

Question 14

What part of the stapes attaches to the oval window?

Answer 14

The base/footplate

Question 15

Which nerves carries general sensation from the mucosa of the tympanic cavity? What else does this nerve do?

Answer 15

Tympanic branch of CN IX (glossopharyngeal), also carries parasympathetic fibers

Question 16

Which nerves supply parasympathetics to the following:

1. Parotid glands
2. Submandibular glands
3. Sublingual glands

Answer 16

Lesser petrosal (CN IX) supplies parotid glands

Chorda tympani (CN VII) supplies submandibular and sublingual glands

Question 17

Answer 17

1. Uncinate process
2. Ethmoidal bulla