Orifice of the Auditory Tube Pharyngeal

The pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube: functions and structure

The pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube, also known as ostium pharyngeum tubae auditivae (PNA) or ostium pharyngeum tubae pharyngotympanicae (JNA), is an important structure connecting the middle ear and pharynx. This opening is located at the back of the nasopharynx and serves to equalize pressure in the middle ear and drain and clear mucus.

The structure of the opening of the pharyngeal auditory tube is formed by a cartilaginous arch and muscles that control the opening and closing of the opening. When we swallow, the muscles widen the opening, allowing air to enter the middle ear and equalize the pressure. When we don't swallow, the hole closes to prevent food and liquid from entering the middle ear.

The functions of the pharyngeal auditory tube opening include:

1. Equalizing pressure in the middle ear: When the pressure in the outer ear and the middle ear are not equal, it can cause discomfort and even lead to hearing loss. The opening of the pharyngeal eustachian tube allows pressure to equalize in the middle ear, which helps prevent these problems.

2. Clearing and draining mucus: The eustachian tube also serves to drain and clear mucus that may accumulate in the middle ear. When we swallow, the muscles of the pharyngeal eustachian tube expand, allowing mucus to leave the middle ear and enter the pharynx, where it can be swallowed or coughed out.

3. Protecting the middle ear from food and liquid: When we eat or drink, the muscles of the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube close to prevent food and liquid from entering the middle ear. This protects the middle ear from infections and other problems.

In conclusion, the pharyngeal auditory tube opening is an important structure that connects the middle ear and pharynx. Its functions include equalizing pressure in the middle ear, clearing and draining mucus, and protecting the middle ear from food and liquid. Understanding the structure and function of the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube can help maintain ear and hearing health.

The opening of the auditory tube is an anatomical formation located in the posterior wall of the pharynx, which serves to provide a pneumatic connection between the middle ear cavity and the nasal cavity. The hole has two names: pharynx istmus and columna vertebralis posterior. The opening of the pharyngeal auditory tube is formed early in children and reaches a sufficient degree of development by the age of 6-12 months. It is a kind of oval-shaped hole with a diameter of about 2 mm. With each month of the child's life, the size of the hole increases. Another large opening, the tubal one, is of clinical importance, which is often the object of defects in its development. The tubal (auditory) opening of the pharyngeal tympanic tube, through which the entire tympanic tube passes from the middle (tubal) to the lower end, is absent in some newborns (8 - 15%) of children. In some newborns, the arch (body) of the auditory or pharyngeal tube is not formed at all or it is short (its width is more than 1 mm). The physiological significance of the arcuate opening of the tube is unclear. In some cases, this tube reaches large sizes - sometimes it reaches the body of the sphenoid bone, forming a posterior protrusion or spreading over its entire surface. Congenital valve syndrome occurs, in which the external auditory opening is located at an angle below the level of the pharyngeal arch of the tympanic tube or is closed by a fold of the mucous membrane. Delayed formation of the tubal opening is considered one of the causes of nasal otitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity passing through the outer ear from the vestibular side - sinus thrombosis). A defect in the posterior semicircular window is also quite common. Opening