Pallestrini E A, Castello E
Divisione ORL, Ospedale Regionale San Martino di Genova.
Ann Ital Med Int. 1992 Jul-Sep;7(3 Suppl):78S-85S.
ORL inflammations present particular pathogenetic and clinical characteristics due to the close anatomic and physiological connection among them and to their particular anatomic characteristics. The ear communicates with the rhinopharynx through the Eustachian tube, and this relationship explains how bacterial infections of the upper respiratory tract can cause otitis and how tubal dysfunctions are often responsible for chronic ORL infections, also favoured by the microcavity structure of the middle ear and the mastoid bone. Also the macro- and microcavity anatomic structure of the paranasal sinuses favours chronic infectious diseases, and their adjacency with the endocranial and facial structures justifies the secondary complications of these infections. The palatine tonsil and other structures of the Waldeyer's lymphatic ring play an important immune role in the first respiratory and digestive tract, and infections occurring in these structures (for example, streptococcal infection) can cause pathologies such as rheumatic disease. Other ORL infections are connected to immunodeficiency or atopy.
耳鼻喉科炎症因其彼此之间紧密的解剖和生理联系以及独特的解剖学特征而呈现出特定的发病机制和临床特点。耳朵通过咽鼓管与鼻咽部相通，这种关系解释了上呼吸道细菌感染如何引发中耳炎，以及咽鼓管功能障碍为何常常是慢性耳鼻喉科感染的原因，中耳和乳突骨的微腔结构也助长了这种感染。鼻窦的大腔和微腔解剖结构同样易引发慢性传染病，它们与颅内和面部结构相邻，这也解释了这些感染的继发性并发症。腭扁桃体及瓦尔代尔淋巴环的其他结构在呼吸道和消化道起始部位发挥着重要的免疫作用，这些结构发生的感染（例如链球菌感染）可引发诸如风湿性疾病等病症。其他耳鼻喉科感染则与免疫缺陷或特应性有关。
