ANATOMY OF THE EAR

Supervisor :
dr. H. Oscar Djauhari, Sp.THT-KL

Presentator :
Maria Emmanuelle (2017.060.10125)
Sean Peter (2017.060.10175)
 MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE
HEARING MECHANISM:

Divided into 4 parts (by function):

Outer Ear

Middle Ear

Inner Ear

Central Auditory Nervous System

OUTER EAR
• Auricle (Pinna)
• External Auditory
Canal
• Tympanic Membrane
 STRUCTURES OF THE AURICLE

Auricle (Pinna)
 Gathers
sound waves
 Aids in
localization
 Amplifies
sound approx.
5-6 dB
EXTERNAL AUDITORY
CANAL
 Approx. 1 inch long
 “S” shaped
 Outer 1/3  cartilaginous
part
 Inner 2/3  bony part
 Allows air to warm before
reaching TM
 Isolates TM from physical
damage
 Cerumen glands
moisten/soften skin
 Presence of some
cerumen is normal
 EXTERNAL AUDITORY CANAL

• Lateral third : cartilaginous portion —> contains cerumen-producing

glands & hair follicles.
• Medial two-thirds : bony portion —> epithelial lining over the
tympanic membrane.
TYMPANIC MEMBRANE

 Thin membrane
 Forms boundary
between outer and
middle ear
 Vibrates in response to
sound waves
 Changes acoustical
energy into
mechanical energy
 Protects the middle
ear space from foreign
material of the EAC
 BLOOD SUPPLY
 The posterior auricular artery
 The anterior auricular branch of the
superficial temporal artery
 The occipital artery
Blood Supply of
External Ear
Innervation
• N. Occipitalis minor (C2)
o upper part of cranial (medial) surface
• N. Auricularis magnus (C3)
o Including most of cranial (medial) surface
• N. Auriculotemporalis (CN V3) :
o Including tragus and anterior wall of external
auditory canal
• Auricular branch of N. Vagus (CN X)
• N. Facialis (CN VII)
INNERVATION OF EXTERNAL EAR
 INNERVATION INSIDE THE
EXTERNAL AUDITORY CANAL
MIDDLE EAR
• Tympanic Cavity
• Ossicles
• Eustachian Tube
• Mastoid Air Cells
SURFACES OF THE MIDDLE EAR

Lateral Tympanic membrane

Anterior Eustachian tube

Posterior Aditus ad antrum

Superior Tegmen tympani

Inferior Jugular vein

 SURFACES OF THE MIDDLE EAR

Medial wall:
 A well marked rounded buldge: Promontary  produced
by first turn of the cochlea
 Rounded Window: Lies below & behind the promontary
 Oval Window: above and behind the promontary  closed
by the foot of the stapes & leads to the vestibule of
internal ear
 The horizontal part of facial canal: arching above the
promontary & oval window
TYMPANIC CAVITY
 EPITYMPANUM
 Above the tympanic membrane.
 Small and contains little air.
 Contains the principal mass of the auditory
ossicles.
 Tympanic part of the facial nerve —>
boundary between the epitympanum &
mesotympanum.
 MESOTYMPANUM
 Mesotympanum : the
portion of the tympanic
cavity at the level of
the tympanic
membrane.
 Contains the round
window, the oval
window with the stapes,
and the promontory
(bony prominence
overlying the basal turn
of the cochlea).
 HYPOTYMPANUM
 Below the level of the tympanic membrane.
 Hypotympanum borders on the bulb of the
jugular vein.
 Contains cells (tympanic cells) that
communicate with the mastoid air cells.
 THE OSSICLES
 Ossicular chain = malleus,
incus & stapes
 Malleus
• Attaches to TM at Umbo
 Incus
• Connector function
 Stapes
• Smallest bone in the body
• Footplate inserts in oval
window on medial wall

Focus/amplify vibration of TM
to smaller area, enables
vibration of cochlear fluids
EUSTACHIAN TUBE
 Mucous-lined, connects
middle ear cavity to
nasopharynx
 “Equalizes” air pressure in
middle ear
 Normally closed, opens
under certain conditions 
yawning, swallowing
 May allow a pathway for
infection
 Children “grow out of ” most
middle ear problems as this
tube lengthens and
becomes more vertical
 MASTOID PROCESS OF
TEMPORAL BONE
 Bony ridge behind the
auricle
 Protects cochlea and
vestibular system
 Provides support to the
external ear and
posterior wall of the
middle ear cavity
 Contains air cavities
which can be reservoir
for infection
 STAPEDIUS MUSCLE

 Connects the stapes to the middle ear wall.

 Contracts in response to loud sounds (Acoustic Reflex).

 Changes stapes mode of vibration; makes it less efficient and reduce

loudness perceived.
 BLOOD SUPPLY OF MIDDLE EAR

 Anterior tympanic branch of maxillary artery  supplies

tympanic membrane

 Stylomastoid branch of posterior auricular artery 

supplies middle ear and mastoid air cells
INNER EAR

• Bony Labyrinth
• Membranous
Labyrinth
 INNER EAR

 Consist of 2 part : bony labyrinth & membranous labyrinth

 Sensory organ  hearing & balance

 Cochlea  hearing

 Semicircular canals and vestibule  balance

BONY
LABYRINTH

• Rigid, bony outer

walls of inner ear
• Cavities, lined by
periosteum
• Contains clear
fluid  perilymph
 BONY LABYRINTH
 Vestibule

 Semicircular canals

 Cochlea
 MEMBRANOUS LABYRINTH

 Collection of fluid filled tubes & chambers

 Contain receptors for hearing and balance

 Lodged within bony labyrinth

 Separated from bony labyrinth by perilymphatic fluid

 Contains endolymph
 MEMBRANOUS LABYRINTH

 Cochlear duct

 Utricle and saccule

 Semicircular ducts

 Endolymphatic duct and sac

 COCHLEA
 Snail shaped
 Cochlear structures :
1.3 chambers  scala vestibule, scala tympani, scala media
(cochlear duct)
2.Hellicotrema
3.Reissner’s membrane
4.Basilar membrane
5.Organ of corti  core component
6.Hair cells
 CENTRAL AUDITORY SYSTEM

 VIIIth Cranial Nerve or “Auditory Nerve”

 Bundle of nerve fibers
 Travels from cochlea through internal auditory meatus to skull
cavity and brain stem
 Carry signals from cochlea to primary auditory cortex, with
continuous processing along the way
 Auditory Cortex
 Wernicke’s Area within Temporal Lobe of the brain
 Sounds interpreted based on experience/association
 How Sound Travels Through The
Ear

• Acoustic energy , in the form of sound waves, is channeled

into the ear canal by the pinna.
• Sound waves hit the tympanic membrane and cause it to
vibrate, like a drum, changing it into mechanical energy .
• The malleus, which is attached to the tympanic
membrane, starts the ossicles into motion. The stapes
moves in and out of the oval window of the cochlea
creating a fluid motion, or hydraulic energy .
• The fluid movement causes membranes in the Organ of
Corti to shear against the hair cells.
• This creates an electrical signal which is sent up the
Auditory Nerve to the brain. The brain interprets it as
sound!
THANK YOU