Ishijima Ken, Sando Isamu, Balaban Carey D, Miura Makoto, Takasaki Kenji
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2002 Jun;111(6):530-6. doi: 10.1177/000348940211100609.
The anatomic relationships among the levator veli palatini muscle (LVPM), the tensor veli palatini muscle (TVPM), and the eustachian tube (ET) cartilage were investigated by computer-aided 3-dimensional reconstruction and measurement methods. The study used 13 normal temporal bone-ET specimens obtained from 13 individuals (range of age at death, 3 months to 88 years). This study revealed several anatomic features of the anterior cartilaginous portion of the ET. First, the LVPM is always located inferolateral to the inferior margin of the medial lamina (ML) of the ET cartilage. Second, the LVPM has a large cross-sectional area throughout the extent of the anterior cartilaginous portion of the ET. Third, although the LVPM lies close to the ML of the ET cartilage (0.44+/-0.16 mm in children and 1.02+/-0.58 mm in adults), there is no region of attachment. Finally, the TVPM is not attached to the lateral lamina (LL) of the ET cartilage of the anterior quarter of the cartilaginous portion. Accordingly, it could be assumed that the most anterior cartilaginous portion of the ET is opened primarily by the contraction of the LVPM, which causes a superior-medial rotation of the ML. Furthermore, since the contraction time of the LVPM is reported to be longer than that of the TVPM, the anterior cartilaginous portions of the ET may remain open, even after the middle to posterior cartilaginous portions are closed after relaxation of the TVPM. This process would produce a pumping action of the ET in the direction from the middle ear to the pharyngeal side. The pumping function may be beneficial to clearance of the middle ear.
通过计算机辅助三维重建和测量方法，研究了腭帆提肌（LVPM）、腭帆张肌（TVPM）和咽鼓管（ET）软骨之间的解剖关系。该研究使用了从13名个体（死亡年龄范围为3个月至88岁）获取的13个正常颞骨-咽鼓管标本。本研究揭示了咽鼓管前软骨部分的几个解剖特征。首先，腭帆提肌总是位于咽鼓管软骨内侧板（ML）下缘的下外侧。其次，腭帆提肌在咽鼓管前软骨部分的整个范围内具有较大的横截面积。第三，尽管腭帆提肌靠近咽鼓管软骨的内侧板（儿童为0.44±0.16毫米，成人为1.02±0.58毫米），但没有附着区域。最后，腭帆张肌不附着于软骨部分前四分之一的咽鼓管软骨外侧板（LL）。因此，可以推测咽鼓管最前部的软骨部分主要通过腭帆提肌的收缩而打开，这会导致内侧板向上内侧旋转。此外，由于据报道腭帆提肌的收缩时间比腭帆张肌长，即使在腭帆张肌松弛后中耳至后软骨部分关闭，咽鼓管的前软骨部分可能仍保持开放。这个过程将产生咽鼓管从中耳向咽部侧的泵吸作用。这种泵吸功能可能有利于中耳的清理。
