How Do You Spell PLEXUS TYMPANICUS?

1. The plexus tympanicus refers to a network of nerves located in the middle ear cavity, specifically within the petrous portion of the temporal bone. It is responsible for providing sensory innervation to various structures in the middle ear, including the mucous membrane lining of the tympanic cavity, the auditory tube, and the mastoid air cells.

   This intricate network is formed by the merging and branching of several nerves, most notably the tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX), and sympathetic fibers originating in the superior cervical ganglion. Moreover, it receives contributions from the carotid plexus and other small nerve branches, creating a complex interweaving of neural fibers.

   The primary function of the plexus tympanicus is to transmit sensation and regulate autonomic (sympathetic) innervation within the middle ear. By receiving sensory information from the tympanic cavity, it plays a crucial role in processes like hearing, maintaining middle ear pressure equilibrium, and regulating blood flow to the middle ear structures.

   Disorders or abnormalities within the plexus tympanicus can lead to various middle ear dysfunctions, such as ear pain (otalgia), disturbances in hearing, and potentially impair the proper functioning of structures involved in equalizing pressure between the middle ear and external environment. Medical interventions such as surgical procedures or treatments targeting the neural pathways may be considered when such conditions arise, aiming to restore normal function to the middle ear.

2. Tympanic p., Jacobson's p., a p. on the inner wall of the tympanum and the promontory formed by the tympanic nerve, an anastomotic branch of the facial, and sympathetic branches from the internal carotid p.; it supplies the mucosa of the tympanum, mastoid cells, and Eustachian tube, and gives off the lesser superficial petrosal nerve to the otic ganglion.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PLEXUS TYMPANICUS

The term "plexus tympanicus" is derived from Latin and Greek roots.

The word "plexus" comes from Latin and means "a network" or "a braid". It refers to a dense and intricate system of nerve fibers or blood vessels.

The term "tympanicus" is derived from the Greek word "tympanon", which means "drum". It refers to the bony structure in the middle ear called the tympanic cavity or the eardrum.

Therefore, "plexus tympanicus" can be understood as a network of nerves or blood vessels located within the tympanic cavity or associated with the eardrum.