Anatomy of

The EAR

Dr. Noura El Tahawy

Assist. Professor Of Anatomy

Embryology & Molecular Cell Biology
Faculty of Medicine, Port Said
University, Egypt

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 objectives
1. Describe the external ear. (auricle& ext . acoustic meatus,
tympanic membrane. )
2. Describe blood & nerve supply & lymphatic drainage of the
external ear.
3. Describe the middle ear. ( walls, special features in the cavity of
middle ear, auditory ossicles& muscles)
4. Describe the course& branches of the facial nerve in the
middle ear.
5. Describe divisions and boundaries of mouth cavity.
Auricle

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Auricle: is composed mainly of
cartilage, except for the lobule.
The auricle collects the sound
The Auricle:
waves and directs vibrations into
the external auditor)' canal.
Has the following features:
1. Helix
The slightly curved rim of the
auricle.
2. Antihelix
A broader curved eminence
internal to die helix, which Concha
divides the auricle into an outer
scaphoid fossa and the deeper
concha.
3. Concha
The deep cavity in front of the Tragus
antihelix.
4. Tragus
A small projection from the
anterior portion of the external
ear anterior to the concha
5. Lobule
A structure made up of areolar
tissue and fat but no cartilage.
• External Acoustic ( Auditory )
Meatus External acoustic meatus
• Is approximately 2.5 cm
long, extending from the
concha to the tympanic
membrane.
• Its external one - third is
formed by cartilage, and the
internal two- thirds is formed
by bone produces ear wax.
,

• Is innervated by the
trigeminal nerve and vagus
nerve, which is joined by a
branch of the facial nerve and
the glossopharyngeal nerve.
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External acoustic meatus

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 Conducts sound waves to the middle ear.
Its external ( lateral ) concave surface is covered by skin and is innervated ( sensory ) by the
trigeminal nerve and the vagus nerve.
 Tympanic membrane

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Pars flacada
Posterior Lateral process
malleolar fold (of malleus )

Anterior
malleolar lok)
Handle of
malleus

Umbo Cone of ligfit

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14 Tympanic membrane ( right ear} A. Diagram B . Otoscopic view ,

Consists of three layers: an outer (cutaneous ), an intermediate ( fibrous ), and an inner ( mucous ) layer. Has a thickened
fibrocartilaginous ring at the greater part of its circumference, which Is fixed in the tympanic sulcus at the inner end of t lie
meatus. Has a small triangular portion between the anterior and posterior malleolar folds called the pars tlaccida
( deficient ring and lack of fibrous layer ). The remainder of the membrane is called the pars tensa . Contains the cone of
light , which Ls a triangular reflection of light seen in the anterior inferior quadrant. Contains the most depressed canter
point of the concavity, called the umbo (Latin for “ knob” ) -
Middle Ear Walls and boundaries

Dr. Noura El Tahawy

Cranial Cavity

Pterous temporal Bone

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jrous temporal Bone

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Temporal bone

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Temporal bone

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 Tympanic cavity

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The lateral wall of the Middle Ear

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Medial wall of the Middle Ear

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Promontory

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Tegmen tympani

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Floor of the Middle Ear

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Vestibular

Pharyngo tympanic
tuba
( auditory )
 Anterior wall of Middle Ear

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Walls of the Middle ear

Left ear: TM removed

 Tympanic cavity ( Middle Ear cavity )
Consists of the tympanic cavity with its ossicles and is located within the petrous portion of
the temporal bone .
Transmits the sound waves from air to auditory ossicles and then to the inner ear. A .
Tympanic ( Middle Ear ) Cavity
Includes the tympanic cavity proper ( the space internal to the tympanic membrane ) and the
epitympanic recess ( the space superior to the tympanic membrane that contains the head of
the malleus and the body of the incus ).
Communicates anteriorly with the nasophary nx via the auditory (eustachian ) tube and
posteriorly with the mastoid air cells and the mastoid antrum through the adilus ad antrum.
Is traversed by the chorda tympani and lesser petrosal nerve.
1. Boundaries of the Tympanic Cavity Roof : tegmen tympani ( temporal bone ).« Floor:
jugular fossa. Anterior: carotid canal and Eustachian tube. Posterior: mastoid air cells and
mastoid antrum through the aditus ad antrum. Lateral: tympanic membrane. Medial: lateral
wall of the inner ear, presenting the promontory formed by the basal turn of the cochlea , the
fenestra vestibuli ( oval window ), the fenestra cochlea ( round wrindow ), and the prominence of
the facial canal .
2. Oval Window ( Fenestra Vestibuli )
Is pushed back and forth by the footplate of the stapes and transmits the sonic vibrations
of the ossicles into the perilymph of the scala vestibuli in the inner ear.
3. Round Window ( Fenestra Cochlea or Tympani )
Is closed by the secondary tympanic ( mucous ) membrane of the middle ear and
accommodates the pressure w aves transmitted to the perilymph of the scala tympani .
• OBSKteS
o Chan of bones across tympanic canty
o Eitend from tympanic mem£)rane to os/ei window on medial wall
• Handle ol maUeus attaches ID tynpamc membrane and head ar aiates \Mlh rnous
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> Incus articulates with head of malleus and end of long limb with stapes
* Head of stapes articulates with long limb of incus and base ( foot-plate ) (its info ovaI window on medial wall
o Increase the force but decrease amplitude of nbrabons tan tymparrc membrane

Auditory ( Pharyngotympanic or Eustachian ) Tube

Connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx.
Allows air to enter or leave the middle ear cavity and thus balances the pressure
in the middle ear with atmospheric pressure, allow ing free movement of the
tympanic membrane.
Has cartilaginous portion that remains closed except during swallowing or
yawning.
Ls opened by the simultaneous contraction of the tensor veli palatini and
salpingopharyngeus muscles.
Contents of the Middle Ear
( tympanic cavity )
Ear Ossicles
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sound waves
round window basilar membrane

outer ear middle ear inner ear

©1997 Encyclopaedia Britarnica, Inc
Muscles inside the Middle ear

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( medial view )
Inner Ear
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 Facial nerve

Cochlear
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Vestibulocochlear and Facial nerves

Facial Nerve
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Facial nerve
 Cranial nerves exiting the cranial cavity

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Vestibulocochlear and Facial nerves

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Chorda tympanl
Branches of Facial nerve
 Geniculate ganglion
Facial nerve [VII]
- Internal acoustic meatus
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Chorda
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 Facial nerve
Course:
1. The two roots (sensory and motor ) of the facial nerve emerge between the pons and
the medulla oblongata. They pass laterally in the posterior cranial fossa with the
vestibulocochlear nerve (CVII1) and enter the internal acoustic meatus ( internal
auditory canal ) in the petrous part of the temporal bone.
2. At the bottom of the meatus, the nerve enters the facial bony canal and ruas laterally
through the inner ear.
3. On reaching the medial wall of the middle ear ( tympanic cavity ) the nerve expands to
form the sensory geniculate ganglion and turns sharply backward at the roof of
middle ear ( above the promontory ).
4. Reaching the posterior wall of the tympanic cavity, the facial nerve turns downward ,
descends to emerge from the stylomastoid foramen to exit the skull and enters the
parotid gland. Inside the parotid g. it terminates by dividing into five terminal
branches which supply muscles of facial expression.
Distribution
1 . The motor nucleus supplies the muscles of facial expression , the auricular muscles,
the stapedius, the posterior belly of the digastric, and the stylohyoid muscles
2. Parasympathetic ( secretomotor ) to submandibular and sublingual salivary glands
and the nasal and palatine glands.
3. Parasympathetic ( secretomotor ) supplies the lacrimal gland.
4. The sensory part receives taste fibbers from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue ,
the floor of the mouth , and the palate.
Atlas of The Ear
 External acoustic meatus

Tympanic membrane

Auricle

rig. 8.112 External acomtlc meatui

 Inner ear

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Eustacftean
tube

locus
Middle
Malleus
ear

Outer ear
 Middle Ear
Outer Ear Inner Ear
Vestibular Organ
Pinna
Vestibular Nerve
Ear Canal

Cochlea Nerve
ochlear Organ

Cartilage astoid Process

Outer Ear

Mastoid Process
Ear Drum \ Middle Ear
Eustachian Tube
 Gross Anatomy of the Middle Ear
Superior ligament Posterior ligament
of malleus of stapes
Malleus Incus Stapes m oval window

Facial ( VII) nerve

Lateral ligament
of malleus

Round window
Anterior ligament
of malleus Tensor tympani muscle
( cut )

MEDIAL
LATERAL
Auditory
External auditory canal Stapedius muscle Middle ear tube

Frontal section showing location of auditory ossicles

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MIDDLE EAR - OSSICLES

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THey increase the amplitude

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of the vibrations 15 20 times
eardrum to oval window ratio

Synovial joints between them

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MEDIAL
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Audwyiube
External audaory canal

Frontal wcoon showing location ot audtory ossicles In tf»e rruddle ear

 recess

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Incus Epltympanic

Anterior

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Pharyngotym * Stapedius
panic tube lympanl membrane muscle
muHclo ( medial view )
 Malleus Incus Epitympanic recess
Superior

Anterior

Pharyngotym- Tensor Tympanic Stapes Stapedius

panic tube tympani membrane muscle
muscle (medial view )
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