Tympanic Membrane | Definition, Anatomy, Function, & Perforation

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• EpoMedicine - Applied Anatomy of Tympanic Membrane

tympanic membrane anatomy Ask Anything Homework Help Also known as: eardrum, eardrum membrane Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

tympanic membrane, thin layer of tissue in the human ear that receives sound vibrations from the outer air and transmits them to the auditory ossicles, which are tiny bones in the tympanic (middle-ear) cavity. It also serves as the lateral wall of the tympanic cavity, separating it from the external auditory canal. The membrane lies across the end of the external canal and looks like a flattened cone with its tip (apex) pointed inward. The edges are attached to a ring of bone, the tympanic annulus.

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The drum membrane has three layers: the outer layer, continuous with the skin on the external canal; the inner layer, continuous with the mucous membrane lining the middle ear; and, between the two, a layer of radial and circular fibres that give the membrane its tension and stiffness. The membrane is well supplied with blood vessels, and its sensory nerve fibres make it extremely sensitive to pain.

Also called: eardrum (Show more) Related Topics: membrane middle ear pars flaccida umbo pars tensa (Show more) See all related content

Accurate diagnosis of middle-ear diseases depends on the appearance and mobility of the tympanic membrane, which is normally pearl gray but is sometimes tinged with pink or yellow. The condition that most commonly involves the tympanic membrane is otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear), which frequently affects children (particularly those between three months and three years of age) and typically is caused by bacterial infection. In severe otitis media, pressure from the accumulation of fluid in the middle ear can lead to tearing or rupturing of the tympanic membrane. Trauma, such as from a blow to the head or from water pressure, can also cause perforations in the membrane. Although tympanic membrane perforations often are self-healing, a patch or surgery may be needed to close the tear. Failure of the membrane to heal can result in varying degrees of hearing loss and increased susceptibility to otitis media and cholesteatoma (the formation of a cyst in the middle ear).

Britannica Quiz What Lies Beneath the Skin: A Human Anatomy Quiz The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.