Cadaveric Study on the Location of Pharyngeal Orifice of an Eustachian Tube in Relation to the Anatomical Landmarks.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Eustachian tube is a communication between the nasopharynx and middle ear extending between the lateral wall of the nasopharynx to anterior wall of tympanic cavity.It maintains the equilibrium of air pressure on either side of the tympanic membrane for proper vibration of sound. The pharyngeal orifice of Eustachian tube is an important landmark for endoscopic surgeries and also for transnasal approach to infratemporal fossa. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 (25 right &25 left)sagittal section of head and neck specimens from adult formalin fixed cadavers from the department of anatomy, MVJ Medical college and Research Hospital, Banglore, India, were used for the study.The distance of pharyngeal orifice to posterior border of hard palate,C1 vertebra,posterior choana,tip of uvula, spehenoid sinus were measured with the digital Vernier caliper.The mean and standard deviation of these parameters were calculated. Conclusion: The knowledge of the relationship of Eustachian tube with anatomical landmarks would be useful to surgeons,otolaryngologists and radiologists.