Details

Dissected temporal bone showing the structures of the middle ear

GC.8432

The right temporal bone of a young adult. From the anterior surface at the petrosquamous junction the tegmen tympani and the adjacent bone have been removed exposing the tympanic cavity the aditus ad antrum and the tympanic antrum. The malleus and incus lie in their normal mutual relation and the manubrium of the malleus passes to the umbo at the centre of the tympanic membrane which has been preserved. The tympanic antrum is seen leading to the mastoid air sinuses and numerous small air sinuses extend a little way into the pars squamosa of the temporal bone. From the petrous portion little segments of bone have been removed to expose, passing from the apex towards the base of the petrous portion, the cochlea, the internal acoustic meatus, the vestibule and the posterior semicircular canal into which a bristle has been introduced.