Tympanic cavity

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Tympanic cavity
Gray923.png
The cochlea and vestibule, viewed from above. (Tympanic cavity labeled at upper right.)
Bones and muscles in the tympanic cavity in the middle ear
Details
Precursor First pharyngeal pouch
Part of Middle ear
Artery Stylomastoid artery
Identifiers
Latin cavitas tympani
TA98 A02.1.06.051
TA2 687
FMA 56461
Anatomical terminology

The tympanic cavity is a small cavity surrounding the bones of the middle ear. Within it sit the ossicles, three small bones that transmit vibrations used in the detection of sound.

Contents

Structure

On its lateral surface, it abuts the external auditory meatus [ ear canal ] from which it is separated by the tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Walls

The tympanic cavity is bounded by:

Development

It is formed from the tubotympanic recess, an expansion of the first pharyngeal pouch.

Clinical significance

If damaged, the tympanic membrane can be repaired in a procedure called tympanoplasty.

Should fluid accumulate within the middle ear as the result of infection or for some other reason, it can be drained by puncturing the tympanic membrane with a large bore needle (tympanocentesis).

Additional images

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eustachian tube</span> Tube connecting middle ear to throat

The Eustachian tube, also called the auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube, is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear, of which it is also a part. In adult humans, the Eustachian tube is approximately 35 mm (1.4 in) long and 3 mm (0.12 in) in diameter. It is named after the sixteenth-century Italian anatomist Bartolomeo Eustachi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temporal bone</span> Bone of the neurocranium

The temporal bones are situated at the sides and base of the skull, and lateral to the temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal carotid artery</span> Artery of the human brain

The internal carotid artery is an artery in the neck which supplies the anterior circulation of the brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastoid antrum</span>

The mastoid antrum is an air space in the petrous portion of the temporal bone, communicating posteriorly with the mastoid cells and anteriorly with the epitympanic recess of the middle ear via the aditus to mastoid antrum. These air spaces function as sound receptors, provide voice resonance, act as acoustic insulation and dissipation, provide protection from physical damage and reduce the mass of the cranium. The roof is formed by the tegmen antri which is a continuation of the tegmen tympani and separates it from the middle cranial fossa. The lateral wall of the antrum is formed by a plate of bone which is an average of 1.5 cm in adults. The mastoid air cell system is a major contributor to middle ear inflammatory diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chorda tympani</span> Nerve carrying taste sensations

Chorda tympani is a branch of the facial nerve that carries gustatory (taste) sensory innervation from the front of the tongue and parasympathetic (secretomotor) innervation to the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal auditory meatus</span> Canal within the temporal bone

The internal auditory meatus is a canal within the petrous part of the temporal bone of the skull between the posterior cranial fossa and the inner ear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squamous part of temporal bone</span> Front and upper part of the sides of the skull base

The squamous part of temporal bone, or temporal squama, forms the front and upper part of the temporal bone, and is scale-like, thin, and translucent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastoid part of the temporal bone</span> Back part of the sides of the skull base

The mastoid part of the temporal bone is the posterior (back) part of the temporal bone, one of the bones of the skull. Its rough surface gives attachment to various muscles and it has openings for blood vessels. From its borders, the mastoid part articulates with two other bones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petrous part of the temporal bone</span> Feature at the base of the human skull

The petrous part of the temporal bone is pyramid-shaped and is wedged in at the base of the skull between the sphenoid and occipital bones. Directed medially, forward, and a little upward, it presents a base, an apex, three surfaces, and three angles, and houses in its interior, the components of the inner ear. The petrous portion is among the most basal elements of the skull and forms part of the endocranium. Petrous comes from the Latin word petrosus, meaning "stone-like, hard". It is one of the densest bones in the body. In other mammals, it is a separate bone, the petrosal bone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tympanic part of the temporal bone</span> Middle part of the sides of the skull base, surrounding the ear canal

The tympanic part of the temporal bone is a curved plate of bone lying below the squamous part of the temporal bone, in front of the mastoid process, and surrounding the external part of the ear canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facial canal</span> Hole in the temporal bone of the skull carrying the facial nerve

The facial canal is a Z-shaped canal in the temporal bone of the skull. It extends between the internal acoustic meatus and stylomastoid foramen. It transmits the facial nerve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle cranial fossa</span>

The middle cranial fossa is formed by the sphenoid bones, and the temporal bones. It lodges the temporal lobes, and the pituitary gland. It is deeper than the anterior cranial fossa, is narrow medially and widens laterally to the sides of the skull. It is separated from the posterior cranial fossa by the clivus and the petrous crest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anterior tympanic artery</span>

The anterior tympanic artery is a branch of the maxillary artery. It passes through the petrotympanic fissure to entre the middle ear where it contributes to the formation of the circular anastomosis around the tympanic membrane. It provides arterial supply to part of the lining of the middle ear. It is accompanied by the chorda tympani nerve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infratemporal fossa</span> Cavity that is part of the skull

The infratemporal fossa is an irregularly shaped cavity that is a part of the skull. It is situated below and medial to the zygomatic arch. It is not fully enclosed by bone in all directions. It contains superficial muscles, including the lower part of the temporalis muscle, the lateral pterygoid muscle, and the medial pterygoid muscle. It also contains important blood vessels such as the middle meningeal artery, the pterygoid plexus, and the retromandibular vein, and nerves such as the mandibular nerve (CN V3) and its branches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petrotympanic fissure</span> Anatomic feature of the human skull

The petrotympanic fissure is a fissure in the temporal bone that runs from the temporomandibular joint to the tympanic cavity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastoid cells</span> Air-filled cavities in the temporal bone

The mastoid cells are air-filled cavities within the mastoid process of the temporal bone of the cranium. The mastoid cells are a form of skeletal pneumaticity. Infection in these cells is called mastoiditis.

Pierre Charles Huguier was a French surgeon and gynecologist born in Sézanne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of human anatomy</span> Overview of and topical guide to human anatomy

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human anatomy:

References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1037 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. Public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy