Anatomy of the ear

Dr. Tin Moe Nwe

Lecturer
FMHS, UNIMAS

Anatomy of the ear

The organ of hearing as well as balance

Three parts
External ear
Middle ear
Internal ear
All are located
in the
temporal bone

External ear
Auricle (pinna)
and external
acoustic meatus
Auricle is made
up of elastic
cartilage
Its skin is
supplied by V, VII,

External acoustic canal

(25mm)
Outer
cartilaginous part
and inner bony part
Extends to the
tympanic membrane
Lined by skin
containing
sebaceous glands

cartilagenous

bony

Tympanic membrane (ear

drum)
Separates
external ear from
middle ear
The only
structure in the
body derived
from all the
three germ
layers.

Tympanic membrane (ear

drum)
Its center is
drawn medially
by the handle of
the malleus.
This inward
convexity is
called umbo

Umbo

Parts of tympanic
membrane

Pars tensa (PT)

Pars flaccida (PF)
The handle of malleus is
embedded in the mucous
layer.
PF

PT

Middle ear (tympanic cavity)

Parts
middle ear
proper
epitympanic
recess (above the
level of the
tympanic
membrane). This

Middle ear (tympanic

cavity)

Communications of middle ear

Boundaries of middle ear

Roof---tegmen tympani,
temporal
lobe of cerebral
hemisphere
Floor---jugular fossa
Tegmen tympani
Lateral wall---tympanic
membrane

Jugular fossa

Boundaries of middle ear

Posterior wall
Aditus (communicating with mastoid
antrum)
Canal for facial nerve
Pyramid transmitting the tendon of
Canal for facial nerve
stapedius
Aditus
Pyramid

Boundaries of middle ear

Anterir wall
Opening of auditory tube
Carotid canal containing ICA
Canal for tensor tympani
Canal for tensor tympani

Opening of
Auditory tube

Carotid
canal

Boundaries of middle ear

Medial wall
Promontory (1st
turn of cochlea)
Oval window
(fenestra vestibuli)
Round window
(fenestra cochleae)
Impression made
by
lateral
semicircular canal

Facial canal
Lat
semicircular
canal
Oval
window
Round
window

Promontr

Boundaries of middle ear

Medial wall

Lat
semicircular
canal

Facial canal

Oval
window

Round
window
Promontry

Contents of the middle ear

Air
Ear ossicles; malleus, incus and stapes
Two muscles; tensor tympani, stapedius
Nerves; chorda tympani and tympanic
plexus (on the promontory)

Auditory ossicles
head

Short
process

Bod
y

Foot
plate

neck

handle

malleus
Has a handle
(manubrium), head
and neck
Tensor tympani is

Lomg
process

incus
Has a body, long
process and a short
process
Long process is

Head

stapes
Has a head, two
crura (anterior
and posterior)
and a foot plate
which closes the

Articulation of ossicles

Mastoid antrum
Air cavities
in the mastoid
process.
Comnnect
with the
middle ear
cavity through
aditus.

Auditory tube
Also called
pharyngo tympanic
tube.
Connects the
nasopharynx to the
anterior wall of the
middle ear.
Infections can
spread to the middle

Inner ear
The internal ear
consists of
Bony part
- Osseous
labyrinth.
Membranous
ducts and sacs
- Membranous
labyrinth.

Membranous

Bony

Inner ear
Endolymph

The space
between the
membranous and
bony labryinth is
filled with
perilymph and the
membranous
labyrinth is filled

Perilymp

Inner ear
Bony Labyrinth
The anterior part,
the cochlea, is
concerned with
hearing.
The posterior part
is concerned with
balance. It consists
of vestibule and
three semicircular
canals namely

Semicircular
canal

vestibule

cochlea

Inner ear
Membranous
Labyrinth
The anterior part contains cochlear duct,
which is about 2 1/2
turns The cochlear duct
is concerned with Hearing.
The posterior part contains utriculus and
the sacculus (inside
vestibule), and each

Semicircular
duct

U
S

Cochlear
duct

Inner ear
Cochlear ducts
contain organ of
Corti.
Organ of corti
Contains hair cells
and tectorial
membrane.
Its rest on the
basilar membrane

Organ of
corti

Cochlear
nerve

Spiral
ganglion

Clinical importance
Otitis externa - inflammation of
external ear.
Sub-acute Otitis media (SOM) infection and inflammation of
middle ear.
Perforation of eardrum
Internal ear injury can lead to
deafness and vertigo