The eustachian tube - Update on anatomy, development, and function

The eustachian tube (ET) is part of a system of connected structures including the nose, nasopharynx, middle ear, and mastoid. The ET is not a simple tube but a complex structure, lined with respiratory mucosa, composed of bone and cartilage, and surrounded by soft tissue and muscle. ET dysfunction has been implicated in the cause of acute and chronic otitis media, the development of tympanic membrane retraction pockets and atelectasis, and cholesteatoma. The study of the anatomy and dynamic function of this area is important in understanding the diseases and disorders that affect the middle ear and mastoid.