The structure of the ear (clinical anatomy of the ear). Recurrent otitis media - anatomy of the middle ear Diseases of the middle ear

Cave (Antrum) 1. A cavity, especially a depression in a bone. The mastoid cave (mastoid (or tympanic) antrum) is a cavity in the mastoid process of the temporal bone, communicating behind with the mastoid cells, and in front with the cavity inner ear. 2. Part of the stomach adjacent to the pylorus (pyloric or gastric cave (pyloric or gastric antrum)).

Source: "medical dictionary"


medical terms. 2000 .

See what "Cave (Antrum)" is in other dictionaries:

    CAVE- (antrum) 1. A cavity, especially a depression in a bone. The mastoid cave (mastoid (or tympanic) antrum) is a cavity in the mastoid process of the temporal bone, communicating behind with the mastoid cells, and in front with the cavity of the internal ... ... Dictionary in medicine

    - (antrum mastoideum, PNA, JNA; antrum tympanicum, BNA) a cavity in the mastoid process of the temporal bone, communicating with its cells and, through the entrance to the cave, with the tympanic cavity ... Big Medical Dictionary

    Temporal bone- The temporal bone, os temporale, steam room, is involved in the formation of the base of the skull and the lateral wall of its vault. It contains the organ of hearing and balance. It articulates with the lower jaw and is the support of the chewing apparatus. On the outer surface... Atlas of human anatomy

    Side view of the head. The area of ​​​​the mastoid process (Mastoid process) is located behind the ear ... Wikipedia

    Either a cave (antrum Highmori), or maxillary sinus(sinus supramaxillaris), in shape and size it is consistent with the body of the maxillary bone, in which it lies. G. p. is lined with a thin mucous membrane with ciliated epithelium, ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

    MASTOID- mastoid process, processus mastoi deus, part of the temporal bone, located behind the outer ear canal, behind su tura squamo mastoidea, and connected to the scales and tympanic part of the temporal bone. The upper edge of S. o. connects with ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia

    - (aurus media) part of the ear between the outer and inner ear, which performs a sound-conducting function. The middle ear is located in the temporal bone and consists of three interconnected air cavities. The main one is the tympanic cavity (cavum ... ... Medical Encyclopedia

The middle ear consists of cavities and canals that communicate with each other: the tympanic cavity, the auditory (Eustachian) tube, the passage to the antrum, the antrum and the cells of the mastoid process (Fig.). The boundary between the outer and middle ear is the tympanic membrane (see).


Rice. 1. Lateral wall of the tympanic cavity. Rice. 2. Medial wall of the tympanic cavity. Rice. 3. A cut of the head, carried out along the axis of the auditory tube (lower part of the cut): 1 - ostium tympanicum tubae audltivae; 2 - tegmen tympani; 3 - membrana tympani; 4 - manubrium mallei; 5 - recessus epitympanicus; 6 -caput mallei; 7-incus; 8 - cellulae mastoldeae; 9 - chorda tympani; 10 - n. facialis; 11-a. carotis int.; 12 - canalis caroticus; 13 - tuba auditiva (pars ossea); 14 - prominentia canalis semicircularis lat.; 15 - prominentia canalis facialis; 16-a. petrosus major; 17 - m. tensor tympani; 18 - promontory; 19 - plexus tympanicus; 20 - steps; 21-fossula fenestrae cochleae; 22 - eminentia pyramidalis; 23 - sinus sigmoides; 24 - cavum tympani; 25 - entrance to meatus acustlcus ext.; 26 - auricula; 27 - meatus acustlcus ext.; 28-a. et v. temporales superficiales; 29 - glandula parotis; 30 - articulatio temporomandibularis; 31 - ostium pharyngeum tubae auditivae; 32 - pharynx; 33 - cartilago tubae auditivae; 34 - pars cartilaginea tubae auditivae; 35-n. mandibularis; 36-a. meningea media; 37 - m. pterygoideus lat.; 38-in. temporalis.

The middle ear consists of the tympanic cavity, the Eustachian tube, and the mastoid air cells.

Between the outer and inner ear is the tympanic cavity. Its volume is about 2 cm 3. It is lined with a mucous membrane, filled with air and contains a number of important elements. There are three auditory ossicles inside the tympanic cavity: the malleus, anvil, and stirrup, so named for their resemblance to the indicated objects (Fig. 3). The auditory ossicles are interconnected by movable joints. The hammer is the beginning of this chain, it is woven into the eardrum. The anvil occupies a middle position and is located between the malleus and the stirrup. The stirrup is the last link in the ossicular chain. On the inside There are two windows in the tympanic cavity: one is round, leading to the cochlea, covered with a secondary membrane (unlike the already described tympanic membrane), the other is oval, into which a stirrup is inserted, like in a frame. The average weight of the malleus is 30 mg, the incus is 27 mg, and the stirrup is 2.5 mg. The malleus has a head, a neck, a short process and a handle. The handle of the malleus is woven into the eardrum. The head of the malleus is connected to the incus at the joint. Both of these bones are suspended by ligaments to the walls of the tympanic cavity and can move in response to vibrations of the tympanic membrane. When examining the tympanic membrane, a short process and the handle of the malleus are visible through it.


Rice. 3. Auditory ossicles.

1 - anvil body; 2 - a short process of the anvil; 3 - a long process of the anvil; 4 - rear leg of the stirrup; 5 - foot plate of the stirrup; 6 - hammer handle; 7 - anterior process; 8 - neck of the malleus; 9 - head of the malleus; 10 - hammer-incus joint.

The anvil has a body, short and long processes. With the help of the latter, it is connected with the stirrup. The stirrup has a head, a neck, two legs and a main plate. The handle of the malleus is woven into the tympanic membrane, and the foot plate of the stirrup is inserted into the oval window, which forms the chain of auditory ossicles. Sound vibrations propagate from the eardrum to the chain of auditory ossicles that form a lever mechanism.

Six walls are distinguished in the tympanic cavity; The outer wall of the tympanic cavity is mainly the tympanic membrane. But since the tympanic cavity extends upwards and downwards beyond the tympanic membrane, in addition to the tympanic membrane, bone elements also participate in the formation of its outer wall.

The upper wall - the roof of the tympanic cavity (tegmen tympani) - separates the middle ear from the cranial cavity (middle cranial fossa) and is a thin bone plate. The lower wall, or floor of the tympanic cavity, is located slightly below the edge of the tympanic membrane. Below it is the bulb of the jugular vein (bulbus venae jugularis).

The posterior wall borders on the air system of the mastoid process (antrum and cells of the mastoid process). The descending part passes through the posterior wall of the tympanic cavity. facial nerve, from which the ear string (chorda tympani) departs here.

The anterior wall in its upper part is occupied by the mouth of the Eustachian tube connecting the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx (see Fig. 1). The lower section of this wall is a thin bone plate that separates the tympanic cavity from the ascending segment of the inner carotid artery.

The inner wall of the tympanic cavity simultaneously forms the outer wall of the inner ear. Between the oval and round window, it has a protrusion - a cape (promontorium), corresponding to the main curl of the snail. On this wall of the tympanic cavity above the oval window there are two elevations: one corresponds to the canal of the facial nerve passing directly above the oval window, and the second corresponds to the protrusion of the horizontal semicircular canal, which lies above the canal of the facial nerve.

There are two muscles in the tympanic cavity: the stapedius muscle and the muscle that stretches the eardrum. The first is attached to the head of the stirrup and is innervated by the facial nerve, the second is attached to the handle of the malleus and is innervated by a branch of the trigeminal nerve.

The Eustachian tube connects the tympanic cavity with the nasopharyngeal cavity. In the unified International Anatomical Nomenclature, approved in 1960 at the VII International Congress of Anatomists, the name "Eustachian tube" was replaced by the term "auditory tube" (tuba anditiva). The Eustachian tube is divided into bony and cartilaginous parts. It is covered with a mucous membrane lined with ciliated cylindrical epithelium. Cilia of the epithelium move towards the nasopharynx. The length of the tube is about 3.5 cm. In children, the tube is shorter and wider than in adults. In a calm state, the tube is closed, since its walls in the narrowest place (at the transition point of the bone part of the tube into the cartilage) are adjacent to each other. When swallowing, the tube opens and air enters the tympanic cavity.

The mastoid process of the temporal bone is located behind the auricle and external auditory canal.

The outer surface of the mastoid process consists of compact bone tissue and ends at the bottom with an apex. The mastoid process consists of a large number air (pneumatic) cells separated from each other by bony septa. Often there are mastoid processes, the so-called diploetic, when they are based on spongy bone, and the number of air cells is insignificant. In some people, especially those suffering from chronic purulent disease of the middle ear, the mastoid process consists of dense bone and does not contain air cells. These are the so-called sclerotic mastoid processes.

The central part of the mastoid process is a cave - antrum. It is a large air cell that communicates with the tympanic cavity and with other air cells of the mastoid process. The upper wall, or roof of the cave, separates it from the middle cranial fossa. In newborns, the mastoid process is absent (not yet developed). It usually develops in the 2nd year of life. However, the antrum is also present in newborns; it is located in them above the auditory canal, very superficially (at a depth of 2-4 mm) and subsequently shifts backwards and downwards.

The upper border of the mastoid process is the temporal line - a protrusion in the form of a roller, which is, as it were, a continuation of the zygomatic process. At the level of this line, in most cases, the bottom of the middle cranial fossa is located. On the inner surface of the mastoid process, which faces the posterior cranial fossa, there is a grooved depression in which the sigmoid sinus is placed, which drains venous blood from the brain into the bulb of the jugular vein.

The middle ear is supplied arterial blood mainly from the external and to a lesser extent from the internal carotid arteries. The innervation of the middle ear is carried out by branches of the glossopharyngeal, facial and sympathetic nerves.

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The middle ear (auris media) consists of three parts: the tympanic cavity, the cavities of the mastoid process and the auditory (Eustachian) tube.

The tympanic cavity (cavitas tynpani) is a small cavity, about 1 cm3 in volume. It has six walls, each of which plays a large role in the functions performed by the middle ear.

Three floors are conventionally distinguished in the tympanic cavity: upper (cavum epitympanicum), middle (cavum mesotympanicum) and lower (cavum hypotympanicum). The tympanic cavity is bounded by the following six walls.

The outer (lateral) wall is almost entirely represented tympanic membrane, and only the uppermost part of the wall is bony. The tympanic membrane (membrana tympani) is concave funnel-shaped into the lumen of the tympanic cavity, its most retracted place is called the navel (umbo). The surface of the eardrum is divided into two unequal parts. The upper - smaller, corresponding to the upper floor of the cavity, is the loose part (pars flaccida), the middle and lower "make up the stretched part (pars tensa) of the membrane.


1 - air-containing cells of the mastoid process; 2 - protrusion of the sigmoid sinus; 3 - cave and cave roof; 4 - protrusion of the ampulla of the external (horizontal) semicircular canal; 5 - protrusion of the canal of the facial nerve; 6 — the muscle stretching a tympanic membrane; 7 - cape; 8 — a window of a vestibule with the basis of a stirrup; 9 - snail window; 10 - the muscle of the stirrup, located in the channel; 11 - facial nerve after exiting through the stylomastoid foramen


The structure of these unequal parts is also different: the loose part consists of only two layers - the outer, epidermal, and the inner, mucous, and the stretched part has an additional median, or fibrous, layer. This layer is represented by fibers that are closely adjacent to each other and have a radial (in the peripheral sections) and a circular (central part) arrangement. The handle of the malleus is, as it were, woven into the thickness of the middle layer, and therefore it repeats all the movements made by the tympanic membrane under pressure. sound wave penetrating into the external auditory canal.



1 - stretched part; 2 - fibrocartilaginous ring; 3 - light cone; 4 - navel; 5 - hammer handle; 6 - anterior fold of the malleus; 7 - short process of the malleus; 8 - rear fold of the malleus; 9 - relaxed part of the eardrum; 10 - head of the malleus; 11 - the body of the anvil; 12 - long leg of the anvil; 13 - tendon of the stapedius muscle, translucent through the tympanic membrane.

Quadrants of the tympanic membrane: A - anteroinferior; B - posterior; B - posterior superior; G - anterior superior


On the surface of the tympanic membrane, a number of "identifying" elements are distinguished: the handle of the malleus, the lateral process of the malleus, the navel, the light cone, the folds of the malleus - anterior and posterior, delimiting the stretched from the relaxed part of the tympanic membrane. For the convenience of describing certain changes in the tympanic membrane, it is conventionally divided into four quadrants.

In adults, the tympanic membrane is located in relation to the lower wall at an angle of 450, in children - about 300.

Inner (medial) wall

Into the lumen of the tympanic cavity medial wall the protrusion of the main curl of the cochlea protrudes, the cape (promontorium). Behind and above it, you can see the vestibule window, or oval window (fenestra vestibuli) in accordance with its shape. Below and behind the cape, a snail window is defined. The vestibule window opens into the vestibule, the cochlear window opens into the main coil of the cochlea. The vestibule window is occupied by the base of the stirrup, the cochlear window is closed by the secondary tympanic membrane. Directly above the edge of the vestibule window there is a projection of the facial nerve canal.

Upper (tire) wall

The upper (tire) wall is the roof of the tympanic cavity, delimiting it from the middle cranial fossa. In newborns, there is an open gap (fissura petrosqumosa) here, which creates direct contact of the middle ear with the cranial cavity, and with inflammation in the middle ear, irritation of the meninges is possible, as well as the spread of pus from the tympanic cavity to them.

The lower wall is located below the level of the lower wall of the auditory canal, so there is ground floor tympanic cavity (cavum hypotympanicum). This wall borders on the bulb of the jugular vein.

Back wall

In the upper section there is an opening connecting the tympanic cavity with a permanent large cell of the mastoid process - a cave, below there is an elevation from which the tendon of the stapedius muscle emerges and is attached to the neck of the stirrup. Muscle contraction promotes the movement of the stirrup towards the tympanic cavity. Below this protrusion is a hole through which the drum string (chorda tympani) departs from the facial nerve. It leaves the tympanic cavity, passing the auditory ossicles, the stony-tympanic fissure (fissura petrotympanica) in the region of the anterior wall of the external auditory canal, near the temporomandibular joint.

front wall

In its upper part there is an entrance to the auditory tube and a channel for the muscle that moves the stirrup towards the vestibule (m. tensor tympani). It borders on the canal of the internal carotid artery.

Three auditory ossicles are located in the tympanic cavity: the malleus (malleus) has a head that connects to the body of the incus, a handle, lateral and anterior processes. The handle and lateral process are visible when examining the tympanic membrane; anvil (incus) resembles a molar tooth, has a body, two legs and a lenticular process, a long leg is connected to the head of the stirrup, a short one is placed at the entrance to the cave; stirrup (stapes) has a base (area 3.5 mm2), two legs forming an arch, neck and head. The connection of the auditory ossicles to each other is carried out through the joints, which ensures their mobility. In addition, there are several ligaments that support the entire ossicular chain.

The mucous membrane is mucoperiost, lined with squamous epithelium, normally does not contain glands. It is innervated by branches of sensory nerves: trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, vagus, and also facial.

The blood supply to the tympanic cavity is carried out by the branches of the tympanic artery.

Mastoid

The mastoid process (processus mastoideus) acquires all the details only by the 3rd year of a child's life. The structure of the mastoid process is different for different people: the process can have many air cells (pneumatic), consist of spongy bone(diploetic), be very dense (sclerotic).

Regardless of the type of structure of the mastoid process, it always has a pronounced cavity - a cave (antrum mastoideum), which communicates with the tympanic cavity. The walls of the cave and individual cells of the mastoid process are lined with a mucous membrane, which is a continuation of the mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity.

auditory tube (tuba auditiva)

It is a 3.5 cm long canal connecting the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx. The auditory tube, like the external auditory meatus, is represented by two sections: bone and membranous-cartilaginous. The walls of the auditory tube move apart only when swallowing, which ensures ventilation of the middle ear cavities. This is done by the work of two muscles: the muscle that lifts the soft palate and the muscle that stretches the soft palate. In addition to ventilation, the auditory tube also performs drainage (removal of transudate or exudate from the tympanic cavity) and protective functions (the secret of the mucous glands has bactericidal properties). The mucous membrane of the tube is innervated by the tympanic plexus.

Yu.M. Ovchinnikov, V.P. Gamow

Table of contents of the topic "Anatomy of the ear":
1. Vestibulocochlear organ, organum vestibulocochleare. The structure of the organ of balance (pre-cochlear organ).
2. Embryogenesis of the organ of hearing and gravity (balance) in humans.
3. External ear, auris externa. auricle, auricula. External auditory canal, meatus acousticus externus.
4. Tympanic membrane, membrana tympani. Vessels and nerves of the external ear. Blood supply to the external ear.
5.
6. Auditory ossicles: Hammer, malleus; Anvil, incus; Stirrup, stapes. Functions of bones.
7. Muscle straining the eardrum, m. tensor tympani. Stirrup muscle, m. stepedius. Functions of the muscles of the middle ear.
8. Auditory tube, or Eustachian tube, tuba auditiva. Vessels and nerves of the middle ear. Blood supply to the middle ear.
9. Inner ear, labyrinth. Bone labyrinth, labyrinthus osseus. vestibule, vestibulum.
10. Bone semicircular canals, canales semicirculares ossei. Snail, cochlea.
11. Webbed labyrinth, labyrinthus membranaceus.
12. The structure of the auditory analyzer. Spiral organ, organon spirale. Helmholtz theory.
13. Vessels of the inner ear (labyrinth). Blood supply to the inner ear (labyrinth).

Middle ear, auris media. Tympanic cavity, cavitas tympanica. The walls of the tympanic cavity.

Middle ear, auris media, comprises tympanic cavity and auditory tube, which communicates the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx.

Tympanic cavity, cavitas tympanica, laid at the base of the pyramid of the temporal bone between the outer ear canal and labyrinth (inner ear). It contains a chain of three small bones that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the labyrinth.

tympanic cavity has a very small size (about 1 cm 3 in volume) and resembles a tambourine placed on the edge, strongly inclined towards the external auditory canal. There are six walls in the tympanic cavity:

1. Lateral wall of the tympanic cavity, paries membranaceus, is formed by the tympanic membrane and the bone plate of the external auditory canal. The upper dome-shaped expanded part of the tympanic cavity, recessus membranae tympani superior, contains two auditory ossicles; head of the malleus and anvil. When sick pathological changes middle ear are most pronounced in this recessus.

2. Medial wall of the tympanic cavity belongs to the labyrinth, and therefore is called labyrinthine, paries labyrinthicus. It has two windows: round, snail window - fenestra cochleae, leading to the cochlea and tightened membrana tympani secundaria, and oval, vestibule window - fenestra vestibuli opening in vestibulum labyrinthi. The base of the third auditory ossicle, the stirrup, is inserted into the last hole.

3. Posterior wall of the tympanic cavity, paries mastoideus, bears eminence, eminentia pyramidalis, for indoor m. stapedius. Recessus membranae tympani superior posteriorly continues into the cave of the mastoid process, antrum mastoideum, where the air cells of the latter, cellulae mastoideae.
Antrum mastoideum is a small cavity protruding towards the mastoid process, from the outer surface of which it is separated by a layer of bone bordering the posterior wall of the auditory canal immediately behind the spina suprameatica, where the cave is usually opened during suppuration in the mastoid process.

4. Anterior wall of the tympanic cavity is called paries caroticus, since the internal carotid artery is close to it. At the top of this wall is internal opening of the auditory tube, ostium tympanicum tubae auditivae, which in newborns and children early age gapes widely, which explains the frequent penetration of infection from the nasopharynx into the cavity of the middle ear and further into the skull.

Tympanic cavity, cavitas tympanica (Fig.,,; see Fig.,,), is a slit-like cavity in the thickness of the base of the pyramid of the temporal bone. It is lined with a mucous membrane that covers six of its walls and continues behind into the mucous membrane of the cells of the mastoid process of the temporal bone, and in front - into the mucous membrane of the auditory tube.

outdoor membranous wall, paries membranaceus, the tympanic cavity for a greater extent is formed by the inner surface of the tympanic membrane, above which the upper wall of the bone part of the auditory canal takes part in the formation of this wall.

Internal labyrinthine wall, paries labyrinthicus, the tympanic cavity is at the same time the outer wall of the vestibule of the inner ear.

In the upper part of this wall there is a small depression - dimple of vestibule window, fossula fenestrae vestibuli, which has vestibule window, fenestra vestibuli(see Fig. , ), - an oval hole covered with the base of the stirrup.

In front of the dimple of the window of the vestibule, on the inner wall, the septum of the musculo-tubal canal ends in the form cochlear process, processus cochleariformis.

Below the window of the vestibule is a rounded elevation - cape, promontorium, on the surface of which there is a vertical cape furrow, sulcus promontorii.

Below and behind the cape is a funnel-shaped snail window dimple, fossula fenestrae cochleae where is the round window snail, fenestra cochleae(see fig.).

The dimple of the cochlear window is limited from above and behind by a bone roller - cape stand, subiculum promontorii.

Snail window closed secondary tympanic membrane, membrana tympani secundaria(see fig.). It is attached to the rough edge of this hole - scallop window snail, crista fenestrae cochleae.

Above the snail's window and behind the promontory is a small depression called tympanic sinus, sinus tympani.

Upper tire wall, paries tegmentalis, the tympanic cavity is formed by the bone substance of the corresponding section of the petrous part of the temporal bone, which received the name due to this roofs of the tympanic cavity, tegmen tympani. In this place, the tympanic cavity forms an upward epitympanic recess, recessus epitympanicus, and its deepest section is called dome part, pars cupularis.

The bottom wall (bottom) of the tympanic cavity is called jugular wall, paries jugularis, due to the fact that the bone substance of this wall takes part in the formation of the jugular fossa. This wall is uneven and contains air , as well as the opening of the tympanic tubule. The jugular wall bears a small styloid protrusion, prominentia styloidea, which is the base of the styloid process.

Posterior mastoid wall, paries mastoideus, the tympanic cavity has a hole - cave entrance, aditus ad antrum. He leads to mastoid cave, antrum mastoideum, which in turn communicates with mastoid cells, cellulae mastoideae.

On the medial wall of the entrance there is an elevation - protrusion of the lateral semicircular canal, prominentia canalis semicircularis lateralis, below it there is an arcuate from front to back and downwards protrusion of the facial canal, prominentia canalis facialis.

In the upper medial part of this wall is pyramidal eminence, eminentia pyramidalis, with embedded in its thickness stirrup muscle, m. stapedius.

On the surface of the pyramidal eminence there is a small depression - incus fossa, fossa incudis, which includes a short leg of the anvil.

Slightly below the fossa of the incus, on the anterior surface of the pyramidal eminence, under the protrusion of the facial nerve is located posterior sinus, sinus posterior, and below, above the styloid protrusion, opens tympanic aperture of the tubule of the drum string, apertura tympanica canaliculi chordae tympani.

Front carotid wall, paries caroticus, the tympanic cavity bears tympanic cells, cellulae tympanicae. Its lower section is formed by the bone substance of the posterior wall of the canal of the internal carotid artery, above which is located tympanic opening of the auditory tube, ostium tympanicum tubae auditivae.

Clinicians conventionally divide the tympanic cavity into three sections: lower, middle and upper.

To lower section tympanic cavity ( hypotympanum) carry part of it between the lower wall of the tympanic cavity and a horizontal plane drawn through the lower edge of the tympanic membrane.

middle department tympanic cavity ( mesotympanum) occupies a large part of the tympanic cavity and corresponds to that part of it, which is limited by two horizontal planes drawn through the lower and upper edges of the tympanic membrane.

Upper section tympanic cavity ( epitympanum) is located between the upper border of the middle section and the roof of the tympanic cavity.