title: Panel 2: Anatomy (Eustachian Tube, Middle Ear, and Mastoid-Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Pathogenesis).
abstract: Objective In this report, we review the recent literature (ie, past 4 years) to identify advances in our understanding of the middle ear-mastoid-eustachian tube system. We use this review to determine whether the short-term goals elaborated in the last report were achieved, and we propose updated goals to guide future otitis media research. Data Sources PubMed, Web of Science, Medline. Review Methods The panel topic was subdivided, and each contributor performed a literature search within the given time frame. The keywords searched included middle ear, eustachian tube, and mastoid for their intersection with anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and pathology. Preliminary reports from each panel member were consolidated and discussed when the panel met on June 11, 2015. At that meeting, the progress was evaluated and new short-term goals proposed. Conclusions Progress was made on 13 of the 20 short-term goals proposed in 2011. Significant advances were made in the characterization of middle ear gas exchange pathways, modeling eustachian tube function, and preliminary testing of treatments for eustachian tube dysfunction. Implications for Practice In the future, imaging technologies should be developed to noninvasively assess middle ear/eustachian tube structure and physiology with respect to their role in otitis media pathogenesis. The new data derived from these structure/function experiments should be integrated into computational models that can then be used to develop specific hypotheses concerning otitis media pathogenesis and persistence. Finally, rigorous studies on medical or surgical treatments for eustachian tube dysfunction should be undertaken.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.|2 Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.|3 Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Cuneyt M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alper
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bnai Zion Medical Center; Technion-The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luntz
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ohio University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.|7 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Ohio University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Samir N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Ghadiali
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: J Douglas
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Swarts
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Miriam S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: 8 Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Heim Pal Children's Hospital, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csákányi
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Bnai Zion Medical Center; Technion-The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Noam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yehudai
authors.affiliation: 9 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lariboisière Hospital, Diderot University, University Paris Sorbonne, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kania
authors.affiliation: 10 Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|11 Department of Otolaryngology and Communications Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Poe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008416:Mastoid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D023421:Models, Animal
keywords: anatomy; eustachian tube; imaging; mastoid; middle ear; modeling; pathophysiology; physiology; treatment