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Acrocephalosyndactly (Apert's syndrome): Temporal bone findings
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|March 11, 1975
Summary
Developmental abnormalities in the middle ear, including the annular ligament and subarcuate fossa, suggest a disturbance in the maturation or resorption of the embryonal cartilaginous capsule.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Developmental Biology
- Embryology
Background:
- The middle ear and ossicular chain are crucial for hearing.
- Proper development of the embryonal cartilaginous capsule is essential for middle ear formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe developmental abnormalities in a fetal middle ear specimen.
- To identify specific regions of abnormal development within the middle ear structures.
Main Methods:
- Histological examination of a fetal middle ear specimen.
- Analysis of the ossicular chain, annular ligament, and subarcuate fossa development.
Main Results:
- The middle ear and ossicular chain were incomplete; remnants appeared normally developed except for the stapediovestibular joint.
- The annular ligament showed incomplete development with undifferentiated cartilage fixation.
- The subarcuate fossa was unusually large, containing remnants of the primary cartilaginous capsule and endochondral bone.
Conclusions:
- Abnormalities in the annular ligament and subarcuate fossa indicate a disturbance in maturation or resorption of the embryonal cartilaginous capsule.
- These findings highlight potential embryonic developmental disruptions affecting middle ear structures.