[Age-related aspects of the anatomy and topography of the human tubal tonsil].

The tubal tonsil (TT) has been investigated in 60 preparations of the auditory tube (right and left), obtained from 30 corpses of persons at various age, those died from traumas and having neither any pathological changes in their acoustic organs, nor chronic inflammatory diseases by the time of death. The TT is presented as a solid or interrupted lymphoid tissue plate, situating in the mucosal membrane in the area of the pharyngeal opening to some extent in the inferior, posterior and anterior walls of the auditory tube. In newborns the TT is presented as a diffuse lymphoid tissue, where lymphoid nodules begin to form. The greatest amount of the lymphoid nodules in the TT are revealed in the infantile age and this sign is kept during subsequent age periods, including the first period of mature age. During these age periods on the surface of the mucosal membrane in the area of the pharyngeal opening numerous small eminences are seen--tubercles, corresponding in their position to lymphoid nodules under them. Beginning from the second mature period and up to old age the amount and size of the lymphoid nodules in the TT decreases. At that time on the surface of the mucosal membranes in the area of TT only single tubercles are revealed.