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Development and Anatomy of the Human Middle Ear

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Textbook of Otitis Media

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Abstract

The structure of the human middle ear is intimately related to its function in transmitting sound vibrations through to the cochlea. A detailed knowledge of the anatomical relationships between the tympanic membrane, ossicles, muscles and nerves is essential for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of many forms of conductive hearing loss. Improvements in micro-computed tomography are making it easier to visualise this complex region. Understanding middle ear morphology, however, also requires an understanding of its embryology. Although the involvement of the pharyngeal pouches and arches in the formation of the middle ear and its structures has long been recognised, controversies remain and modern developmental biology techniques continue to shed new light on the origins of some of the tissues involved. Differences in middle ear development may also affect the propensity to develop pathologies later in life. One example of this relates to the role of drainage of the air-filled cavity in the aetiology of otitis media. In this chapter, we review what is currently known about middle ear development, after which we provide a comprehensive description of the anatomy of the adult human middle ear.

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Acknowledgements

Temporal bone specimens from which CT reconstructions were made were obtained from the Human Anatomy Centre, Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge. Prior to decease, all donors had provided consent for the use of their bodies for anatomical research, in compliance with the Human Tissue Act 2004. The authors thank Will Ashley-Fenn, Darren Broadhurst, Sue Jones, Prabhvir Marway and Maria Wright for preparation of the temporal bone specimens that we used and Cecilia Brassett and Richard Lloyd for their help with project logistics and permissions. CT scans were conducted at the Cambridge Biotomography Centre.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Ashford, Kent, UK

    Charlotte M. Burford

  2. Department of Paediatrics, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales, UK

    Hannah L. Cornwall

  3. Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster, S Yorks, UK

    Matthew R. B. Farr

  4. School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK

    Claudia M. Santoni

  5. Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK

    Matthew J. Mason

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  3. Matthew R. B. Farr
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  5. Matthew J. Mason
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Correspondence to Matthew J. Mason .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Clínica Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile, USA

    Marcos V. Goycoolea

  2. Otolaryngology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Sady Selaimen da Costa

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

    Chris de Souza

  4. Paparella Ear Head & Neck Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Michael M. Paparella

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Burford, C.M., Cornwall, H.L., Farr, M.R.B., Santoni, C.M., Mason, M.J. (2023). Development and Anatomy of the Human Middle Ear. In: Goycoolea, M.V., Selaimen da Costa, S., de Souza, C., Paparella, M.M. (eds) Textbook of Otitis Media. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40949-3_4

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