Anatomy of External Ear

1. Pinna (Auriculae)

Elastic cartilage covered with

thin skin
Directs sound waves into
auditory canal
Anatomy of External Ear
2. External acoustic meastus (auditory
canal)

S-shaped ear canal (length 2 ½ -

3 cm)
Outer third: cartilagenous with
hair follicles, sebaceous and
ceruminous glands
Inner two-third: thin skin
overlying the osseus canal easily
traumatized.
Anatomy of External Ear

3. Thympanic membrane (ear drum)

Connective tissue membrane is thin,
semitransparent partition, circular
shape and concave,
Covered by epidermis and lined by
simple cuboidal epithelium.
Between epithelial layers is
connective tissue composed of
collagen, elastic fibers, and
fibroblasts.
Divided into: Pars flaccida, Shrapnell
membrane and pars tensa, Propria
membrane
Outer Ear
Vascularization
Outer Ear Innervation
Histology of Auditorius Externus Pars Cartilaginous

Thickness : 0,5 -1 mm
Rich in hair follicles and sebaceous and
apocrine glands.
The three of them build the protective
structure, called apopilosebaceus unit.
Secretion of the glands and the
desquamated epithelium form the
cerumen (low in pH) which has a role in
primary protection from infectious
agents.
Histology of Auditorius Externus Pars Ossea

Consists of loose connective

tissue between the skin,
periosteum and bone.
Absence of hair follicle,
sebaceous and apocrine
glands in this part makes it
more prone to trauma.
Anatomy & Physiology Of Sebacea Gland
Sebaceous gland is mostly located on the pars
cartilaginous of CAE, so is apocrine gland and
the hair follicles.
Cerumen is a mixture of secretions produced
by sebaceous glands, ceruminous apocrine
glands, and desquamated epithelial cells in
the pars cartilaginous of CAE.

(Tortora, Ed12, Vol1)

Cerumen
Cerumen usually dries up and falls
out of the ear canal.
Cerumen is one of defense
mechanism, it contains lysozyme and
has a has a pH level of 6.9 (acidic) to
prevent bacterial and fungal growth.
Cerumen also lipid-rich and
hydrophobic to prevents water from
penetrating to the skin.
Cerumen that is excessive or too
viscous can lead to obstruction,
retention of water and debris, and
infection.