Eustachian tube (y
stā`shən) [for Bartolomeo Eustachi Eustachi, Bartolomeo (bär'tōlōmĕ`ō ā'
..... Click the link for more information. ], a hollow structure of bone and cartilage extending from the middle ear ear, organ of hearing and equilibrium. The human ear consists of outer, middle, and inner parts. The outer ear is the visible portion; it includes the skin-covered flap of cartilage known as the auricle, or pinna, and the opening (auditory canal) leading to the
..... Click the link for more information. to the rear of the throat, or pharynx, technically known as the pharyngotympanic or auditory tube. By permitting air to leave or enter the middle ear, the tube equalizes air pressure on either side of the eardrum. The tube can become blocked, as by enlarged adenoids or the mucous secretions of a cold, so that external and internal pressure become imbalanced. Earache and diminution of hearing may result. The tube may also serve as a pathway to the ear for infections of the throat. A common ear disease known as Otitis Media, usually appearing in early childhood, is thought to be related to the Eustachian tube. The tube tends to be shorter and more horizontal among children, factors which facilitate the spread of infections from upper respiratory diseases to the middle ear, as well as the accumulation of fluids in the region.
Eustachian tube
eustachian tube [yü′stā·shən ‚tüb]
stā`shən) [for Bartolomeo Eustachi Eustachi, Bartolomeo (bär'tōlōmĕ`ō ā'..... Click the link for more information. ], a hollow structure of bone and cartilage extending from the middle ear ear, organ of hearing and equilibrium. The human ear consists of outer, middle, and inner parts. The outer ear is the visible portion; it includes the skin-covered flap of cartilage known as the auricle, or pinna, and the opening (auditory canal) leading to the
..... Click the link for more information. to the rear of the throat, or pharynx, technically known as the pharyngotympanic or auditory tube. By permitting air to leave or enter the middle ear, the tube equalizes air pressure on either side of the eardrum. The tube can become blocked, as by enlarged adenoids or the mucous secretions of a cold, so that external and internal pressure become imbalanced. Earache and diminution of hearing may result. The tube may also serve as a pathway to the ear for infections of the throat. A common ear disease known as Otitis Media, usually appearing in early childhood, is thought to be related to the Eustachian tube. The tube tends to be shorter and more horizontal among children, factors which facilitate the spread of infections from upper respiratory diseases to the middle ear, as well as the accumulation of fluids in the region.
Eustachian tube
a tube that connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx and equalizes the pressure between the two sides of the eardrum
eustachian tube [yü′stā·shən ‚tüb]
(anatomy)
A tube composed of bone and cartilage that connects the nasopharynx with the middle ear cavity.
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