Anatomy of the ear-II

Mastoid air cell system

Inner ear
Mastoid air cell system

 Aditus ad antrum
 Mastoid antrum
 Mastoid air cells
 Mastoid antrum
 Most constant
mastoid air cell
 Surgical
landmark-
McEven’s
triangle
Mastoid air cells

 Multiple and variable from person to

person
 Drains into the antrum
 Few drain directly into the middle ear
 Classification
– Mastoid group
– Perilabyrinthine group
– Apical group
Mastoid group
 Central group  Accessory group
– Periantral cells – Squamous
 Peripheral group – Occipetal
– Dural – Zygomatic
– Perisinus – Peri-tubal
– Sino-dural – Styloid
– Tip
– Retrofacial
Functions of the mastoid air cell
system

 Reservoir of air
 Mucous secretion
Functions

 Cochlea: Receptor organ of hearing

(Organ of corti)
 Vestibular apparatus: Receptor
organs of equilibrium
– Cristae in the ampullae's of semicircular
canals
– Maculae in the utricle and saccule
Types

 Bony labyrinth
– Complex spaces inside the petrous part of the
temporal bone filled with perilymph
 Membranous labyrinth (endolymphatic
system)
– Delicate complex structures seen inside the
bony labyrinth surrounded by perilymph
– Contains endolymph
Bony labyrinth
Membranous labyrinth
Endolymph and perilymph
Endolymph:
Produced in cochlea
(stria vascularis)-
absorbed in
endolymphatic sac
Perilymph:
Communicates with
subarachnoid space.
Electrolyte concentrations in perilymph, endolymph and CSF

ENDOLYMPH IS K+ RICH
Cochlea
 Scala vestibuli
Cochlea

Scala Media

Scala tympani
Meniere’s disease
  
 
 
                  
                  

                 
Equilibrium
 Angular
acceleration:
Cristae of the
ampullae of the
semicircular
canals
 Linear
acceleration:
Maculae of the
utricle and saccule