The tympanic plexus is a
nerve plexus
A nerve plexus is a plexus (branching network) of intersecting nerves. A nerve plexus is composed of afferent and efferent fibers that arise from the merging of the anterior rami of spinal nerves and blood vessels. There are five spinal nerve ple ...
within the
tympanic cavity
The tympanic cavity is a small cavity surrounding the bones of the middle ear. Within it sit the ossicles, three small bones that transmit vibrations used in the detection of sound.
Structure
On its lateral surface, it abuts the external audit ...
formed upon the
promontory of tympanic cavity
The promontory of the tympanic cavity, also known as the cochlear promontory is a rounded hollow prominence upon - and most prominent feature of - the medial wall of the tympanic cavity formed by the underlying first turn of the cochlea. The surfac ...
by the
tympanic nerve
The tympanic nerve ( Jacobson's nerve) is a branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve passing through the petrous part of the temporal bone to reach the middle ear. It provides sensory innervation for the middle ear, the Eustachian tube, the parotid ...
(branch of the
inferior ganglion of glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)), and the
superior and inferior caroticotympanic nerves (post-ganglionic sympathetic branches of the
internal carotid plexus).
The
lesser petrosal nerve (which may be considered a continuation of the tympanic nerve) traverses the tympanic plexus.
Anatomy
Distribution
The tympanic plexus innervates the mucosa of the tympanic cavity,
pharyngotympanic tube,
and
mastoid air cell. It issues a branch to the
greater petrosal nerve (through an opening anterior to the
oval window
The oval window (or ''fenestra vestibuli'' or ''fenestra ovalis'') is a connective tissue membrane-covered opening from the middle ear to the cochlea of the inner ear.
Vibrations that contact the tympanic membrane travel through the three ossicl ...
).
References
External links
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Nerve plexus
Glossopharyngeal nerve