ANATOMY OF INNER
EAR
PRESENTED BY
MEGHA RAJ
ROLL NO :: 58
INNER EAR
• Also known as labrynth
• Imp organ for hearing and balance
• Has two parts:-
1. Bony labrynth
2. Membranous labrynth
BONY LABRYNTH
1. Vestibule
2. Semi circular canals
3. Cochlea
VESTIBULE
• Central chamber of the labyrinth
• Lateral wall lies the oval window.
• The inside of its medial wall presents two recesses, a spherical
recess (saccule) and an elliptical recess (utricle).Below the
elliptical recess is the opening of aqueduct of vestibule through
which passes the endolymphatic duct. In the posterosuperior
part of vestibule are the five openings of semicircular canals.
SEMICIRCULAR CANALS
• 3 in number:- lateral, posterior, superior (90° to each other)
• Each canal has an ampullated end which opens
independently into the vestibule and a nonampullated end.
• The nonampullated ends of posterior and superior canals
unite to form a common channel called crus commune.
Thus, the three canals open into the vestibule by 5
openings
COCHLEA
• Coiled tube ( makes 2.5 to 2.75 turns around modiolus- pyramid
shaped bone).
• The base of modiolus towards internal acoustic meatus and transmits
vessels and nerves to the cochlea.
• Around the modiolus and winding spirally like the thread of a screw -
thin plate of bone called oseous spiral lamina. It divides the bony
cochlea incompletely and gives attachment to the basilar membrane.
The bony bulge in the medial wall of middle ear, is due to the basal coil
of the cochlea. The bony cochlea contains three compartments:
• (a) Scala vestibuli,(b) Scala tympani,(c) Scala media or the
membranous cochlea
• Scala vestibuli and scala tympani filled with perilymph
• They communicate with each other at the apex of cochlea
through an opening called helicotrema.
• Scala vestibuli is closed by the footplate of stapes which
separates it from the air-filled middle ear
• The scala tympani is closed by secondary tympanic membra
it is also connected with the subarachnoid space through the
aqueduct of cochlea.
MEMBRANOUS LABRYNTH
• Has ;-
1. cochlear duct
2. Utricle, saccule
3. Three semicircular canals
4. Endolymphatic duct
COCHLEAR DUCT
• Also called membranous cochlea or the scala media.
• It appears triangular on cross-section and its three walls are formed by:
(
• a) the basilar membrane, which supports the organ of Corti
• (b) the Reissner’s membrane, which separates it from the scala
vestibule; and
• (C) the stria vascularis, which contains vascular epithelium and is
concerned with secretion of endolymph.
ENDOLYMPHATIC DUCT AND SAC
• Endolymphatic duct is formed by the union of two ducts, one each
from the saccule and the utricle. It passes through the vestibular
aqueduct. Its terminal part is dilated to form endolymphatic sac, which
lies between the two layers of dura on the posterior surface of the
petrous bone.
• Clinical :- surgically important. It is exposed for drainage or shunt
operation in Ménière’s disease.
BLOOD SUPPLY OF LABRYNTH
DEVELOPMENT OF INNER EAR
• starts in the 3rd week of foetal life and is complete by the16th week.
• Ectoderm in the region of hindbrain thickens to form an auditory placode, which is
invaginated to form auditory vesicle or the otocyst.
• The latter then differentiates into the endolymphatic duct and sac; the utricle, the
semicircular ducts; and saccule and the cochlea.
• Development of phylogenetically older part of labyrinth—pars superior (semicircular
canals and utricle) takes place earlier than pars inferior (saccule and cochlea)
• The cochlea is developed sufficiently by 20 weeks of gestation and the foetus can
hear in the womb of the mother
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