Gross Anaatomy Lf The Ear Flashcards
What is the innervation of the auricle?
Innervation:
Posterior 2/3rd: Great auricular (C2,C3) and lesser occipital nerve (C2) Anterior 1/3rd: Auriculotemporal nerve (V3) with small contributions
from CN VII and X
Describe the development of the auricle
Ear develops at first high up in the neck from 6 auricular hillocks - 3 from 1st arch and 3 from 2nd arch mesenchyme tissue
Malformation of their development can lead to auricular sinuses and cysts
With the development of the mandible it migrates to its definitive position
What causes pre-aucular sinus?
ue to incomplete fusion of the primitive tubercles that form the pinna
Auricular sinuses/pits are usually present anterior to the auricle and considered remnants of the 1st pharyngeal groove
Relatively common
Describe the structure and innervation of the external acoustic meatus
- Canal is 2-3 cm long in adults
- Lateral 1/3rd is cartilaginous
- Medial 2/3rd is bony and part of tympanic portion of temporal bone
- Innervation: Auriculotemporal nerve (V3) except for small area via CN X
Describe the structure function of the middle ear
- Air filled cavity in the petrous part of the temporal bone
- Three ossicles which conduct vibrations of the tympanic membrane:
- Malleus – ‘mallet’
- Incus – ‘anvil’
- Stapes – ‘stirrup’
- Chorda tympani nerve
- Tensor tympani tendon (dampens sound)
- Stapedius muscle (dampens sound)
- Pharyngotympanic tube (to nasopharynx)
Describe structure of the ear
• Translucent membrane separating external meatus from middle ear
• External surface covered by very thin layer of skin, internal surface by thin layer
of mucous membrane
- Membrane is concave externally; central area called umbo, attached to malleus
- Most of membrane is tense but there is a flaccid part superior to the malleus
- Cone of light - a triangular area seen upon otoscopic examination of a normal ear
Describe the innervation of the tympanic membrane
Innervation:
• external surface auriculotemporal nerve (V3) except for small area by CN VII and CN X
• internal surface is by tympanic plexus (CN IX)
Explain how the facial nerve leaves the skull
A.
Exit from skull
1. leaves cranial vault via internal acoustic meatus
2. leaves meatus and passes through facial canal in petrous part of
temporal bone
a. canal takes a sharp posterior turn on medial wall of middle ear
b. geniculate ganglion lies at the turn
c. canal turns inferiorly and ends at stylomastoid foramen
What are the functions of the facial nerve?
- motor root is larger
a. carries motor fibres to stapedius, stylohyoid, posterior belly of
digastric, muscles of facial expression - nervus intermedius is smaller root
a. carries somatic sensory from external auditory meatus, parasympathetic
preganglionics and taste fibres
b. greater petrosal nerve carries parasympathetics to pterygopalatine ganglion
and taste from soft palate
How does the middle ear develop?
Develops from the distal expanded part of the tubotympanic recess arising from
the 1st pharyngeal pouch
What are the auditory ossicles?
Bones:
• Malleus & incus from 1st arch cartilage
• Stapes from 2nd arch cartilage
Muscles:
Muscles:
• Tensor tympani from 1st arch
• Stapedius from 2nd arch
Ossicles develop by endochondral ossification
Ossicles are of adult size at birth
How does the external ear develop?
Surface ectoderm grows & forms a solid meatal plug which undergoes canalization to form the external auditory meatus
The meatus is short and reaches adult size by 9th year of life
How does the tympanic membrane develop?
Tympanic membrane develops from the 1st pharyngeal (branchial) membrane It is derived from all three germ layers:
- ectoderm of the 1st groove
- endoderm of the 1st pouch
- mesoderm invades in between
What are the features of the lateral wall of the middle ear?
Features:
Primarily tympanic membrane with handle of malleus
Chorda tympani nerve between malleus handle and incus
Tensor tympani tendon attached to handle of malleus
What is the branch of the facial nerve of the middle ear?
Chorda tympani nerve:
- afferent special sensory fibers for taste from ant. 2/3 of tongue
- efferent preganglionic parasympathetic innervation for submandibular and sublingual glands (synapse in submandibular ganglion