Interesting Facts About Cholesteatoma and Anatomy of the Middle Ear

The ear comprises of the auditory as well as the vestibular systems. The former system detects sound and the latter does the work of maintaining body equilibrium. Functionally and anatomically, the ear can be divided into 3 regions; the external, middle and inner ear. Let us read in detail about the anatomy of the middle ear.

Middle Ear Anatomy

It is interesting to study about the ear and even more to know about the anatomy of the middle ear. The tympanic cavity or middle ear is an uneven, laterally compacted space inside our temporal bone. The air in the cavity is transferred from the nasal passage. It contains movable bones that connect the lateral and medial walls. The tympanic space consists of the actual cavity that is opposite our middle ear membrane. The other part is called the epitympanic recess or the attic which is situated above the membrane. The attic has the upper portion of malleus and a large part of incus. The cavity is surrounded laterally by its membrane and in the middle by the side wall of our internal ear. The Roof or Tegmental Wall is made up of a thin bone plate called Tegmen Tympani that separates the tympanic and cranial cavities space. The Floor or Jugular Wall is narrow; it consists of the Fundus Tympani which is a thin bone plate.

About Cholesteatoma

If you want to know what is cholesteatoma in the ear, read on. When dead skin cells grow behind your eardrum, it can cause problems to the entire ear. In fact, it can be an obstruction between the ear and the brain. It can even cause harm to the veins carrying blood to the brain. Other serious problems include hearing loss, ear infections, dizziness and sometimes even infection in the brain. Although the cholesteatoma tissue is destructive, it is actually not malignant. The illness consists of two types; acquired and congenital. The former is more common; in this type, cholesteatoma grows in a healthy ear. It begins with a tiny hole or retraction in your eardrum.

Cholesteatoma Treatment

An Otologist diagnoses the problem with an advanced microscope. Surgery for cholesteatoma is the only solution by which the ingrowth is cleared. There is also a secondary advantage of restoration of hearing loss which is caused as a result of the illness. The operation to remove the growth is known as tympanomastoidectomy. The surgery is not complicated and takes only between 1½ to 2 hours. However, patients with large or even moderate cholesteatomas have to undergo two stages of surgeries; the first is conducted to get rid of the growth. The second one is done about 6 to 12 months later. At this procedure damaged ossicles are corrected or replaced with prosthetics. Often the illness cannot be diagnosed without a comprehensive examination by an experienced Otologist.